Just A Little Bit
by Thirrin73
Summary: She always knew her short temper would get her into trouble, but this was just ridiculous. Mental note: Don't punch any more Host Club members in the face. The consequences just aren't worth it. OuranBoys/Sakura, MultiSaku, SakuraCentric
1. Of Temperamental Nuisances

**title: **Just A Little Bit

**summary:** She always knew her short temper would get her into trouble, but this was just ridiculous. Mental note: Don't punch any more Host Club members in the face. The consequences just aren't worth it.

**pairing: **Various-Host-Club-Members-and-Other-Ouran-Students/Sakura.

Which ranges from Hikaru/Sakura, Kaoru/Sakura, Kyouya/Sakura, Mori/Sakura, Honey/Sakura, Tamaki/Sakura, Haruhi/Sakura (maybe, it depends on whether you guys want it or not), Nekozawa/Sakura (another maybe/possibility), and Kasanoda/Sakura (another maybe/possibility)

I'll be taking votes for who she should be paired with in the end, but each pairing will get some screen time :)

Eventual snippets of Sasuke/Sakura, Itachi/Sakura, Madara/Sakura, Tobi/Sakura, Sai/Sakura, and Naruto/Sakura.

Can't choose between Tamaki/Haruhi and Hikaru/Haruhi, so I'd appreciate you guys voting on one of them as well :)

**genre: **Romance, Humor, Adventure, Drama.

**AU?: **Yes, yes it is.

**song: **_Just A Little Bit_ by Kids of 88

**warning: **OOCness, language, probably spelling and grammatical errors, and fluff.

**disclaimer: **_Naruto _and its characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. _Ouran High School Host Club _and its characters rightfully belong to Bisco Hatori. All quotes/lyrics used belong to their respectful owner. I own nothing but the plot and possible OCs used.

**notes: **Two new fics in one day? I'm on a freakin' roll.

Um, not much to say besides I've always wanted to write an _Ouran_/_Naruto_ crossover and have gone through many plots before finding one that I liked (this one).

Expect some OOCness on the host club member's part 'cause I don't have much experience in writing them...

Sorry in advance for any awkwardness or OOCness.

Enjoy!

**::**

_**Just A Little Bit...**_

_**Of Temperamental Nuisances**_

**::**

_Workin' your fingers to the bone  
>Driving you mad and you should've known<em>

**::**

Sakura was pissed.

Like, _beyond_ pissed.

It was apparent in her gait as she stomped down the practically _shining_ hallways of Ouran Academy and the twisted scowl on her face just how angry she was. For the umpteenth time that day, she blew her choppy bangs out of her eyes as she let her piercing emerald gaze travel over the many doors and students (most of which flinched away in fear), the ferocity of her glare only highlighted by the slight snarl at her lip. She dug into the pocket of her favorite red hoodie and burned fiery holes of absolute rage into the flimsy paper wad in her hand.

"What's the point of a goddamned map if it doesn't even fucking _work_!" She hissed under her breath as her eyes traversed the thin lines marking the hallways of the uselessly-enormousschool. She'd been attending Ouran Academy for a week now and she _still _had no idea how to get where she wanted. The first few days hadn't been much of a hassle thanks to a kind classmate who had offered to be Sakura's guide around the school until she memorized where everything was.

She'd been thankful he'd been so helpful and had been in a much better mood around the laid-back 2nd year than any of the other students. Sakura had found a lot in common with the brunette and was fully certain that they'd become friends quickly. They were on the same academic level, were lazy and apathetic at time, and both apparently had the same lack of tolerance for all of the annoying rich kids attending the school. Just thinking of her favored companion was making the pinkette's mood swing.

"Oh, Fujioka-san. Why did you have to get sick on _today_ of all days?" She mumbled to herself, head tilting back to let her now depressed gaze follow over the artistically-sculpted arched ceiling. She absentmindedly tucked a few stray strands of her hair under her black beanie and returned to her brooding.

She wouldn't have been in _that_ bad of a mood had her day gone a little more smoothly. While she loved rain, having to rush to the school without an umbrella or even a freaking _coat _certainly put a damper on her morning. When she'd arrived at the school (almost an entire hour early) Sakura had realized that she had neglected to eat breakfast or pack her daily lunch, believing that she was running late. Of course, Sakura had enough money to buy a meal at the school's fancy cafeteria, but she'd promised herself on the first day that she wouldn't waste any of her money on something she could attain so easily at home.

Her snarling stomach had told her differently and she was easily defeated, pulling her wallet out as she'd made her way to the cafeteria.

Only to realize that she had no idea where it was.

After walking around the school for nearly an hour, she'd realized that classes were about to begin. Temper only _just_ beginning to simmer, she'd thanked Kami she at least knew where her homeroom classroom was.

But, her slightly apathetic state of mind had dropped when she'd learned that Fujioka had called in sick and wouldn't be attending class that day. Sakura had plopped into her seat at the back of the classroom with a slight pout, fully intent on ignoring her chatty classmates. She'd managed to get to other classes by following students she recognized and knew to be in her class, only to find her blood beginning to boil when some teacher had had the nerve to comment on her 'less than appropriate attire'. Of course, Sakura had idly pulled out her copy of the schools handbook and sent him a dry look as she asked him "Where it says students _must_ dress in the uniforms provided by the school."

Sakura didn't see the point in wearing the school's uniforms when she preferred to wear her own (much more comfortable) clothing.

Unfortunately she'd gotten into a heated argument with the teacher until she just sighed and gave up, saying she'd purchase a uniform over the weekend. He'd grinned, thinking he had won, and completely unaware that Sakura was simply bottling up her irritation inwardly rather than snap in front of him.

The day was nearly over but she'd managed to get lost. She missed lunch (while still unable to locate the cafeteria) and had accidentally skipped her last three classes as she'd tried to find her way again.

Which brought Sakura to where she was now, standing before a vast window that overlooked an elegant fountain, screaming in rage as the bell signaling the end of the school day rang through her ears.

"Fuck this shit! I'm demand a better map!" She screeched, throwing the abused piece of paper on the floor and grinding the ball of her foot on it. Rearranging her messenger bag, she growled audibly and continued to stomp forward, muttering profanities under her breath.

Fortunately, she managed to get lucky and found a straggling student. Following the unsuspecting boy "Like a fucking ninja," Sakura managed to find herself at the entrance of the school. Eliciting a delighted whoop of joy at the sight of the polished double doors, she sent a quick prayer to whichever Kami that was watching over her and made her way towards the doors.

"Oi! Pinky!"

Her foot froze in midair and her hand still raised in longing for the exit as her eyebrow twitched in annoyance and her lip curled. Her head snapped to the left as she glared over her shoulder. Some auburn-haired boy stood a ways behind her, gesturing her over to him. It took her a moment, but Sakura recognized him as one of her classmates. If she remembered correctly, he had a twin and seemed to be friends with Fujioka. She decided that if Fujioka was friends with him, he couldn't be _that_ bad and made a mental note to _attempt_ to be civil with the guy.

But, she was in a bad mood as it was and something about this boy just _screamed, _"Caution! Cocky and mischievous! Approach only if you're in a sane state of mind!"

Crossing her arms, she stopped in front of him and attempted to ignore the fact that he stood nearly an entire head higher than her.

"What do you want? Hitachiin, right?" She asked, idly blowing a few strands of her pink hair out of her eyes. He seemed to ignore her questions and rested his hands on his hips, sending her an only _slightly_ irritated smirk.

"Listen Pinky, I know you're new here but you should really learn to keep out of other people's time. You've been cutting into Haruhi's host time and he doesn't need someone like you hanging around him.

Sakura's jaw nearly dropped and her arms fell to her side. Her fists immediately clenched and she glared viciously up at him. Part of her wondered what he had meant by _host time_, but she was too pissed to think about that.

"_Excuse_ me? Who the hell do you think you are? What makes you think you can just order me around and try to control Fujioka-san's time when he's not around? You've no fucking _right_, you arrogant bastard." She hissed, eyes narrowing. He simple sighed and pressed the ball of his palm against his forehead, sending her an annoyed look out of the corner of his eye.

"Haruhi doesn't need some annoying guy like you bothering him. So just make things simple and stay away from him."

While a majority of Sakura's mind was inwardly raging, a smaller, more rational part of her became smug when he'd called her a _guy._ If the bastard thought she was a boy, then her plan was working. She'd started the school year with a resolution to make everyone believe she was a boy. After so many years of being pushed around and underestimated because of her gender, Sakura had decided that when she transferred over to Ouran everything would be different. True, people still over-looked her, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. People tended to respect men more and Sakura would be damned if anyone thought little of her because she was a girl. Besides, she was sick of people saying her actions and manners were, "Unlady-like." Now, she could act as she wanted and not be judged.

She hadn't had to do much to look more like a boy, since she was naturally lean and flat-chested. Her name had caused her a bit of grief and she had thought about changing it to something else, but that would have been going too far. Sakura could be a guy's name too, couldn't it?

So far, her plan had worked and all the stupid rich-kids had believed she was a boy. This thought was enough to calm Sakura down slightly, but everything this guy was saying was pushing her closer and closer towards her boiling point.

"Say one more word and, I _promise_, you'll regret it bastard." She said through clenched teeth. He merely sneered and crossed his arms.

"What are you going to do, Shorty? _Annoy_ me to death?"

And, just like so many times before, Sakura snapped. She pulled her clenched fist back and immediately threw it forward with more force than should have been mustered by a person of her small frame. Her favorite word passed over her lips and the surprised look on the boy's face only vaguely registered at the back of her mind as she punched him.

"Shannaro!"

She smirked at the feel of her fist connecting with his face and she sent him a twisted grin as he yelped and his hands immediately went to his nose as he fell backwards. She spun on her heel, still seething and completely uncaring for the boy, and stomped towards the doors. She barely registered the sound of a door opening and closing somewhere behind her and a voice speaking.

"Hikaru, I got the- Hikaru!"

Sakura was confident that no one had seen her punch the bastard and she left the school with stiff shoulders. She was mentally _daring_ the guy to rat on her, but she was sure he wouldn't. Would any self-respecting man tell anyone that a scrawny, pink-haired boy had broken their nose? Not likely.

And so, she headed home, the streets wet with previous rain and the sky only slightly overcast.

**::**

_Wrap it up baby I'm takin' you home,_

**::**

That night, Sakura had gone onto the school's website and found a _much_ better map of the campus. She'd stared at her computer screen for hours until she'd memorized each twist, turn, and room of the school. Fully confident that she _wouldn't_ get lost, she headed out for the school.

As she munched on a granola bar, she thought over the previous day, cringing with guilt. She regretted punching Hitachiin and hoped he wouldn't be too sore with her. Now, she understood that he'd only been telling her to stay away from Fujioka because she was probably interfering with his schedule. Hitachiin was most likely only looking out for his friend. Sakura made a mental note to apologize to him when she saw him again and tugged her beanie lower over her forehead, nearly covering her eyes.

She grimaced as she remembered her promise to buy one of the uniforms and sighed, stuffing the wrapper of her bar in her pocket. She'd dressed in a slightly more presentable outfit (white button-up shirt under a green-checkered vest with black slacks) but was probably going to be told off again.

"I'm lucky I can pass off for a guy so well." She muttered under her breath as she slung her bag over her shoulder. She'd always been taken to wearing less than feminine clothing and had no problem wearing an old T-shirt and baggy jeans. She was somewhat thankful that all of the spoiled kids at the school tended to ignore people they didn't know or she would probably have had to work harder for everyone to think she was a boy.

She'd only worn the beanie to keep from attracting unwanted attention due to her strange hair color, but now she just liked wearing it in general. She fingered the cloth and sighed, figuring she'd probably have to stop wearing it once she got the schools uniform.

She was soon standing in front of the school and walked in with the utmost confidence. She stopped before her homeroom classroom and entered with a broad grin, moving towards her seat. No one was inside yet, but class would begin soon. As she waited for the students to start flooding in, Sakura mentally went over her mental-map and her schedule.

As it turned out, Fujioka was still sick and both of the twins were missing. Again, the guilty feeling hit Sakura and she cringed. _'I didn't punch him _that_ hard, did I?'_ Class started and no one paid her any mind.

The day progressed and Sakura thought less and less of her less than commendable actions and more about how _fucking awesome_ she was. She knew where _everything_ was. You could ask her where the 3rd music room was and she could tell you which hallways to turn down and exactly how long it would take to get there.

"I freaking _rock._" She said to herself, ignoring the strange look she received from a passing student. The final bell of the day had just rung and Sakura was on her way home, looking forward to a most deserved weekend. She was nearing the exit and something was telling her to hurry up. Unfortunately, Sakura tended to ignore feelings like this and purposefully slowed down, gaze traveling over the marbled and carved walls.

"Haruno Saki."

Sakura didn't know if she'd suddenly stopped because of the cold tone, the fact that they'd called her surname, or because they had used a nickname of hers from many years ago. But, whatever the reason, she froze mid-step and slowly looked over her shoulder.

Behind her stood two people she didn't recognize, so she figured that they'd misheard her name somewhere and it was just a coincidence that whoever had spoken had called her by her old nickname. The height difference between the two was blaringly obvious. The shorter one had blonde hair while the taller one's was black. Their faces were shaded slightly to make them seem more foreboding but Sakura wasn't amused by the trick.

"Yes?" She answered, not bothering to correct them about her name.

The hallway was silent for a moment before the blonde spoke, revealing that he'd been the speaker before.

"You'll be coming with us."

Sakura scoffed and turned back around, heading for the doors. However, she was caught completely off-guard when she suddenly felt strong hands grip both of her upper arms. She yelped in surprise as she realized she was being turned around and taken down one of the hallway quickly.

"H-hey! Let me go!" Sakura screeched as her gaze flickered from boy to boy. The two were both holding one of her arms, but the taller seemed to be doing most of the work.

"Release me this moment! I was having a great day and I refuse to let it be ruined by you two and your weirdness! This is _kidnapping_! I-" She was cut off, unfortunately, as a pair of double doors were opened and she was shoved into a large room. She stumbled and rose from her place on the ground, knees turning sore as she glared over her shoulder.

"Where the hell did you bring me? What's going on?"

"Judgement, Haruno Saki-kun. Judgement."

Her attention turned to the centermost part of the room to see three boys, regarding her with varying looks of contempt. She made a guess and figured the one sitting, a blonde with violet eyes, had been the one to speak. He had a serious face, but there was a slight smirk at his lips. He was enjoying _this_.

The second boy had black hair and was gazing at her from behind what appeared to be a cataloguing book. He had a pen in his hand and his glasses shined ominously at her. He scribbled something down in his book and snapped it shut.

The third boy was obviously the other Hitachiin. She knew it wasn't the one from yesterday because _his_ nose was perfect and unharmed. He was outright glaring at her, hands fisted at his side.

The doors shut behind her and Sakura's frown deepened. What the hell was going on?

The tall blonde stood, gripping his chin as his eyes roved over her. "Now, what sort of punishment should we admonish, Haruno-kun? What's something in the world that you absolutely _despise_?"

Sakura crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "At the moment? Your face."

He seemed genuinely shocked.

She ignored him and continued. "I'll ask one more time: what's going on? What have I done to deserve any sort of _punishment_?" she hissed, hands curling into fists.

"You punched Hikaru in the face!" the other Hitachiin exclaimed, face twisted with anger. At the back of her mind, Sakura wondered where the other twin was and filed away the new information of his name.

"That wasn't very nice."

She glanced over her shoulder to see the shorter blonde pouting, face no longer as foreboding as earlier. _'He looks like a little kid. But he's wearing a high school uniform...'_ He and the taller, dark-haired boy made their way to join the other three.

Sakura thought to herself for a moment, the feeling of guilt returning. She sighed and her shoulders drooped.

"Look, I'm sorry for punching the guy, okay?" she began, eyes down. "I was having a bad day and he unintentionally egged me on even more. I snapped." she looked up, playing the puppy-dog eyes to the max. "I really am sorry, alright? I didn't mean to hurt him..."

The room was silent. They were all watching her and Sakura's hands were starting to get clammy. What were they all thinking?

Suddenly, she heard a whimper from in front of her and almost fell the ground when something barreled into her stomach, limbs wrapping around her torso to cling to her.

"I forgive you Saki-chan! Don't be sad!"

Sakura yelped and immediately attempted to pry the small blonde off of her. "H-hey! G-get off!"

"Still," The boy with the glasses said suddenly, eyeing her with a frown, "Because of you, Hikaru will be unable to attend for a few days." He glanced over at the taller blonde. "That leaves us with a delima."

"Yes, yes." The purple-eyed boy said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "And you really _do_ deserve a punishment, Haruno-kun. Blatantly harming a Host Club member is unacceptable."

The auburn-haired twin continued to glare at her, crossing his arms over his chest.

'_There's that phrase again,' _Sakura thought, still trying to get the clinging boy to release her, _'What do they mean by _Host Club_? Where else have I heard it before?' _She blinked in surprise suddenly, as she remembered something. _'Wait! Now I remember! I overheard a few girls giggling about a Host Club a few days ago! It's some sort of club that 'entertains' girls by flirting with them!'_

She gazed at them with veiled mixture of shock and disgust. _'They're players!'_

"Alright!" the apparent leader exclaimed suddenly, brushing his golden bangs out of his eyes. His hand rose and he pointed at her, a joyfully wicked grin at his lips.

"Haruno Saki-kun! From this moment on, you will be a host to fill in for Hikaru-kun until he returns _and_ until we deem your punishment fulfilled!"

Sakura stared at him in horror.

"Y-you're kidding, right?" she said with a forced smile. He grinned and shook his head, sitting back down in his chair.

"Nope. You are now our newest host!"

The blonde _still clinging to her_ cheered and hugged her tighter while the bespectacled boy smirked and scribbled something down in his book. The other Hitachiin still seemed angry, but she could make out the barest of smirks. She knew it – could _feel_ it: he was going to make her life hell.

"I already said I'm sorry! I'll give the guy a freakin' gift-basket as apology! This is ridiculous and completely unnecessary!"

The short blonde let go of her suddenly and hopped over to the tall silent boy, talking animatedly up at him. The other's dispersed and moved about the room, rearranging and preparing things. They all ignored her and Sakura found herself groaning loudly.

"You might as well just stay here, Haruno. The Host Club opens its doors for our customers in less than an hour."

She looked up to see the dark-haired boy with glasses standing in front of her. He looked up from his book and smiled sadistically at her.

"There's no point in trying to sneak away. You owe us a debt and it _will_ be paid. Besides, I'm sure the school officials wouldn't like to hear that the newest student has openly and intentionally harmed one of the school's most prestigious students."

'_S-so scary.'_ She gulped and fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "B-but, really, this isn't necessary! I-I-I-" She stopped, lips turning down in a deep frown as it all began to really sink in. They were _black-mailing _her. Hell. No.

Sakura's hands clenched and it took every last ounce of her self-control to not attack that smirking arrogant bastard. The others stopped what they were doing and looked over at her, feeling the sudden tense atmosphere.

She breathed out shakily, fists shaking.

"Please excuse me for a moment."

They all watched in surprise and slight curiosity as she suddenly made her way to a corner of the room, shoulders hunched as she pulled a cellphone out of her pocket. She punched a few buttons and held the phone to her ear, breathing ragged.

"Hello?...Yeah, It's me...I-I need you...Yes, _now_...Look, Sensei, it's important!...I'm seriously about to go on a freaking _rampage_ and I'd really appreciate it if you went over the exercises with me!...Yes, thank you."

She was silent for a few moments, listening intently to the soft voice murmuring into her ear from the receiver. She took three big breaths, eyes screwed shut. She mumbled something under her breath and took a few more steadying breaths, all too aware that _they_ were watching her. She went to her happy place, escaping the judging and prying eyes.

She exhaled, much more calm now. "Thanks Sensei...Yeah, I feel a lot more calm now...No, it's ok...Yeah, I'll see you soon...What?..._Yes_, I'll explain everything when I see you next...Okay, bye." She ended the call and slipped the phone back into her pocket, slowly turning around to face their questioning eyes.

"I still don't agree with this – _any_ of this, but I'll _will_ agree to your terms so long as I don't get reported."

The short blonde cheered, the tall blonde grinned, the twin snorted, the dark-haired boy with glasses smirked and scribbled away, and the tall black-haired boy simply regarded her silently.

"You are an attractive enough young man, Haruno-kun, I'm sure you'll be getting requests from our lovely ladies in no time!" the tall blonde announced, gesturing wildly to her and prancing about the room.

Again, Sakura couldn't help but be inwardly smug. _'Booyah, they all think I'm a guy! Who's the girl-pretending-to-be-a-man? That's right, I'm awesome.'_ She crossed her arms once and let her gaze fall on the boys once more. She had a feeling that her patience, temper, and sanity was going to be pushed to the max, all too soon. These boys were _crazy. _And yet...

"So, who are you guys?"

And thus, Haruno Sakura's journey as a member of Ouran High School's Host Club began.

**::**

_Get off your throne  
>I want you alone<em>

**::**

**notes: **Kind of awkward in parts, but I really enjoyed writing this and look forward to the next chapter!

You'll all learn more about Sakura, what she's doing at Ouran Academy, and how she'll act around everyone later on, I promise! I'll try to answer any questions, but if it's too much of a spoiler I might have to leave you without an answer ;]

So yeah, some of you might be wondering why it was Hikaru who got punched in the face. Well, it's mostly because, to me, he's the one I could easily see pissing an already pissed off-Sakura even more and getting decked :I Don't get me wrong, Hikaru's practically my favorite character in Ouran! And his whole "Leave Haruhi alone, Pinky"-bit? 'Member how he and Kaoru are so possessive of Haruhi and don't like her hanging out with other people? Yeah. Heck, their character song practically says they get jealous when Haruhi's just _talking_ with other people. Sorry if he seemed out of character!

Anyways, the all-important question: Who should Sakura eventually end up with? Here are the Ouran choices~

Kyouya

Mori

Hikaru

Kaoru

Honey

Tamaki

Haruhi

Nekozawa

Kasanoda

I plan on bringing some of the Naruto character in later on, but I'd kind of rather have Sakura end up with one of the Ouran boys...

I plan on having some of all the pairings, but I'd really like you guys to vote on which should be the final pairing with Sakura.

Also, Tamaki/Haruhi or Hikaru/Haruhi? Keep in mind that whichever one of these two wins leaves a little less Sakura-lovin' for the lucky guy.

I'll be keeping the voting open for a while, because I'm sure a lot of your votes are going to change. Eventually, I'll take the most requested guys and put them in a poll on my profile.

Hope you guys liked this! Next chapter might be bit of a wait seeing as how I have _**Sugar**_ _**Cube**_ and, my most recent story, _**Sugar and Spice Makes Everything Nice**_ to work on!

But who knows, maybe the next chapter will be out sooner than you think?

Remember...

Reviews = Love = Happiness = Inspiration = Faster Updates = More Smiles

Create some smiles people

**::Thirrin73::**


	2. Of New Job Jitters

**notes: **Thanks for all the reviews guys! I super-appreciate all the love! I'm really glad you all enjoyed the first chapter, so I'm here with the next!

The voting has begun and it looks like, so far, Hikaru is in the lead for Sakura's heart with Mori and Nekozawa right behind him :) And it appears Tamaki might be with Haruhi! I'm also adding Hikaru/Sakura/Kaoru (which is currently tied with MoriSaku and NekoSaku) as a pairing because a few of you have requested it or are torn between choosing.

So, any love-triangles are open to vote on!

And remember, just because Sakura is going to end up with only one of the boys (or two, depending on the votes...) doesn't mean she won't get some loving from the others :) It'll be quite a while before Sakura 'ends up' with anyone.

Oh, and a bit of a heads up. Quite a bit of fluffy-adorableness ahead. I hope I don't give anyone any cavities...

On with chapter two! Enjoy!

**::**

_**Just A Little Bit...**_

_**Of New Job Jitters**_

**::**

_Take just a little bit of time_  
><em>Just to make you feel right<em>

**::**

After Tamaki overcame his initial shock of learning that Sakura had no idea who any of them were, he immediately introduced the other hosts, gesturing excessively. Sakura mentally filed away their names and awkwardly waited to find out just what she'd be doing as a host. She was against all of this, but when Haruno Sakura made a promise, she _kept_ that promise. And with the promise of being a host at Ouran Academy, well, she was going to be the best darned host she could be.

At least until they all got sick of her and kicked her out of the club.

"Now," Tamaki said suddenly, sitting down on a couch. He nodded to the second couch on the other side of a large coffee table and Sakura made her way towards it, inwardly grimacing. He grinned and tapped a finger to his chin, Kyouya moved to stand at one end of the couch while a disgruntled Kaoru leaned against the other. The two watched her and waited for their 'king' to continue.

"What type are you, Haruno-kun?"

Sakura straightened in her seat, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean, Tamaki-san?"

"Please, please! Call me Senpai! You are in the same year as Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi, correct?" Before she could answer, he laughed to himself and waved offhandedly, "Yes, yes, of course you are. So, you shall address me as Senpai, Saki-kun! We have no need to be so formal here in the Host Club!"

Sakura smiled weakly to herself and nodded slowly. "A-alright, Tamaki-senpai," the blonde grinned and clapped in approval, "But, still, what do you mean by 'type'?"

He hummed and Honey and Mori suddenly sat down beside him, the former holding a pink stuffed rabbit. At the back of her mind, Sakura was still trying to make sense of the fact that the child-like Honey was almost eighteen – _two years_ older than herself.

"We each have a certain role that we fulfill here in the Host Club," Tamaki explained, "A type that our lovely customers have come to identify us as and thusly request depending on what they prefer!"

He gestured to Kyouya, who, once again, was writing something down in this ever-present book. "Whether it's the _Cool Type_," he waved to Honey and Mori next, "The _Loli-Shota Type_," Honey giggled and hugged his bunny closer, "The _Wild Type_," Mori blinked and Sakura began to wonder whether he ever spoke. Tamaki motioned to Kaoru, "The _Little Devil Types_," he paused, turning thoughtful, "Though I suppose it will be difficult for Kaoru to take on the role of both _Little Devils_."

Kyouya snorted to himself, mumbling something along the lines of "That's what I said earlier, _King_." under his breath. Tamaki didn't seem to notice and continued, gesturing to himself, "Or myself, the _Prince Charming Type_." He smiled happily suddenly, "Haruhi is our _Natural Rookie_. His regular customers were most distraught when they learned he was sick, but he should be back soon. Right Kyouya?" Tamaki's attention snapped over to Kyouya, expression hopeful.

"Of course." He answered simply, smirking knowingly to himself.

Sakura frowned as she remembered that Fujioka had been the accidental cause of her new 'job'. She didn't blame him, but she did find it hard to imagine the quiet and somewhat shy boy as a host. _'Fujioka really participates in this? What did _he_ do to earn this sort of punishment?'_

"What type shall Saki-kun be?" Tamaki questioned aloud. "No one knows much of his personality since he is so new here! All we know is that he likes to punch people...Tsundere?"

Sakura frowned and crossed her arms. _'I'm not _that_ cold or mean to others. I just have a short temper! And will he stop talking as if I'm not here?' _But, before Sakura could interject, the sound of a whirring machine filled the air. The boys all seemed perplexed when a high-pitched laugh began, covering up the sound of the rumbling.

"Ohohohohoho!"

The pinkette watched in shock as the floor opened up – splitting to allow a small platform to rise up from underneath the room. A girl, the source of the laugh, wearing the female Ouran uniform stood atop the platform, spinning in slow circles. When the whirring finally stopped and platform stopped moving she planted her fists on her hips and smiled at the occupants of the room.

"Ohoho! Isn't it obvious? Saki-kun shall be our _Tragic Type_!" Sakura blinked in surprise, inwardly wondering who this girl was. The brunette pranced down the steps of the platform, darting towards Sakura. She stopped in front of the pinkette, taking her hands in her own.

"A Tragic Type! How romantic! I can see it now! All the girls will try to get close and become friends with Saki-kun to learn about his tragic past! To learn why he appears so cold on the outside and strive to one day warm his heart!"

"T-tragic, Renge?" Tamaki asked, still trying to get over her sudden appearance. The girl laughed and danced away from Sakura.

"Can't you see it? With Saki-kun's abnormal pink hair, big doe-like eyes, small frame, and girl-like face, he must have been picked on and bullied when he was little! What other things haunt him? What is he hiding behind that tough façade?" Renge put a hand to her head, sighing dreamily. "Imagine the kind and happy soul that lies beneath that cold and rough exterior! Even I feel the desire to befriend Saki-kun!"

Sakura pouted, crossing her arms.

"Do I really come off as that cold?"

"It doesn't have to be true, Saki-chan. You can just pretend!" It was then that Sakura realized that Honey was sitting next to her, a large piece of cake on a plate in his hand. Honey smiled and kicked his legs childishly. "Sure, we all have our types, but we usually push it to the extreme to entertain the customers!"

Sakura nodded slowly, leaning back in her seat as she turned thoughtful. _'Tragic? Can I pull that off? Hmm...'_

"Alright," All eyes turned to her. She smiled, head tilting to the side as her eyes closed. "I'll give it a shot."

Suddenly she was enveloped in a monstrous bear hug and Tamaki spun her around. "So cute! You'll do wonderfully, Saki-kun!"

She yelped and quickly tried to push him away. He was surprisingly strong but she managed to escape him and fell back into her seat, clothes rumpled and beanie falling off her head. She sighed and pulled her cap off, running her fingers though her bangs.

"Ah, that reminds me," Kyouya stood in front of her, holding out a small pile of clothing. "All Host members wear the school's uniform. You can change in the back room." He nodded towards a door in the back and dropped the clothes into her lap.

Sakura blinked and slowly stood, heading for the mentioned door. _'When did he find the time to get me a uniform?'_ She fingered the cloth, glancing at the tag. _'And how does he know my size?'_ Sakura inwardly freaked out and kept walking, shoulders stiff.

She caught the dark look in Kaoru's eyes and instantly guessed what she was thinking. _This is supposed to be a punishment, but he's enjoying this! That little bastard. I'll make him regret hurting Hikaru!_

She sighed and finally reaching the door. She could feel their eyes on her, watching her, judging her.

"Oh, and Haruno-kun?"

Her hand was on the doorknob and she stopped, glancing over her shoulder at Kyouya.

"For further reference, would you rather be called 'Saki' or 'Sakura'?"

Eyes widened from around the room and Sakura stiffened, fingers twitching. He was _smiling_ at her, that sly bastard. Well, two could play at that game.

"Saki, please. After all, it was an old nickname of mine. And Tamaki-senpai _did _say that there was no need to be so formal." She smiled that closed-eye smile from before and quickly slipped into the extra room. She turned the deadbolt, effectively locking out any unwanted visitors.

She instantly heard the sound of rapid conversation and she slumped against the door. She snorted and smirked to herself. From what she'd gathered, Ootori was very observant and knew almost everything about everyone. Of course he would have known her real name.

As Sakura unfolded the uniform and looked it over, her smirk widened. She undressed, mind full of orderly thoughts.

Her file would say she was a boy.

Her secret was still safe.

The all-knowing Ootori knew a lot less than he thought he did.

**::**

_Just enough to ease the bite_

**::**

Sakura stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself at all angles. She had to admit, she looked _good_. _'I would _so_ have a crush on me if I was a real boy.' _Sakura paused, trying to make sense of her sudden strange thought. She shrugged and straightened her tie. She messed with her hair, parting it off to the right to allow a few of her bangs to hang just over her eyebrows. There was nothing she could do with fringe of the super short hair at the back of her head and she knew she really shouldn't wear her beanie.

Sighing she readjusted her jacket and turned from the mirror. At least the blue of the uniform didn't clash _too_ terribly with her hair. And, she had to hand it to that glasses wearing bastard, the uniform fit perfectly. She turned the lock on the door and stepped out, nervously glancing around.

All eyes turned to her and she suddenly felt self-conscious. She rubbed the back of her head and smiled weakly.

"It, uh, fits." She coughed and walked forward. Almost instantly, Honey was clinging to her, limbs once again wrapped around her torso.

"Saki-chan looks so cute!"

She grimaced but left him, realizing that he'd let go when he wanted to. She heard a snicker and glanced to her left. Kaoru sent her a cheeky grin.

"So, _Sakura_?"

She snorted, standing still while Honey slipped off of her and to the ground. She really wasn't much taller than the blonde but he still seemed much smaller than her. She turned her attention to Kaoru, crossing her arms.

"My mom wanted a daughter and my dad wasn't very imaginative when it came to names." she answered simply. It was true, but the fact that her mother _had_ gotten the daughter she wanted was her little secret. But the jerk didn't need to be so _rude_ about it. She blamed Kyouya.

Sakura looked over at Tamaki who was regarding her new appearance thoughtfully. "So, what is it I'll be doing as a host, exactly?"

Tamaki smiled, standing and approaching her. "You'll be entertaining our lovely ladies, of course!"

She frowned. That wasn't much of an answer. It was about then that she noticed Renge had disappeared and Kyouya and Mori were making their ways towards the double doors of the room.

"Personally, I would like to see how you do without any sort of guidance or instruction, Saki-kun." Sakura looked over at the grinning Tamaki in surprise. "So, I'll allow you to 'wing it', for today!"

'_He isn't serious, is he?'_ But it appeared Tamaki really was serious and Sakura soon found herself being led to the middle of the room, left to stand on the king's right. Kaoru took the blonde's left and Honey ran forward and jumped onto Mori's back, giggling happily.

Suddenly, Mori and Kyouya opened the doors, bowing and smiling at the group of girl gathered in the hallway.

"Welcome princesses!" Tamaki exclaimed, stepping forward to bow regally. "Today, I would like you to welcome our newest, _Tragic_, host, Haruno Sakura!" the girls all murmured amongst themselves and Sakura inwardly frowned. She'd expected Tamaki to refer to her as 'Saki'. The blonde reached back and pulled her forward.

"With both Haruhi and Hikaru indisposed of for now, Haruno-kun has offered us his services until further notice! Please, welcome him graciously, princesses!"

And now, Sakura's big moment. They were all staring at her and she felt a little overwhelmed. But, with a steadying breath she bowed and smiled at them with her closed-eye smile, the ends of her eyebrows turned down to give, what she hoped was, a sad and "Awww!"-worthy look.

"Hello. Please, call me Saki. It is a pleasure to meet all of you lovely ladies." She bowed once more, smile still in place, "Please, take care of me."

There was a moment of silence and Sakura's fingers twitched as nervousness set in.

Suddenly, the room was filled with squeals and yells. Sakura jumped in surprise, eardrums ringing.

"He's so cute!"

"What a pretty face!"

"That sad smile! I want to hug him!"

The other shouts were lost in the squeals and Sakura smiled weakly. _'I guess this isn't _that_ bad.'_

"Now," Tamaki began, pleased with how everything was going so far, "Saki-kun shall be taking care of those of you who have requested Haruhi. So, please, enjoy your afternoon!"

A feeling of dread overcame Sakura all of a sudden.

**::**

_Hit the lights_

**::**

"So, Saki-kun, tell us about yourself!"

"What made you decide to join the Host Club?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"Is your hair _really_ naturally pink?"

Sakura's head buzzed with the many questions the three girls assaulted her with. She thought to herself for a moment, leaning forward to rest her arms on the small table. They sat and watched her intently, teacups held delicately in their hands. _'I suppose I can mix in a little truth with the lies.'_

"Well," She began, smiling softly. "I was having trouble making friends and getting to know my classmates, so, when I overheard a few girls chatting about the Host Club, I sought Tamaki-senpai and Kyouya-senpai out. I figured it would be a fun and easy way to get to know some of my classmates."

They were silent for a moment.

"Aw, I want to be your friend Saki-kun!"

"Yes, yes! We'll all be your friends!"

"Best friends, Saki-kun!"

Sakura smiled and laughed lightly to herself. "Please, please! Don't feel the need to befriend me just because of what I said!" She turned thoughtful, hand rising to grip her chin. "I'd rather get to know people first and actually develop a friendship with them," She smiled (what she would soon refer to as her 'sad smile') at the three and dropped her hand to the table, lacing her fingers together. "I really appreciate the kind gestures though."

She was slightly shocked when they suddenly started squealing, cheeks flushed with pink.

"So adorable!"

"I really _do_ want to be your friend though, Saki-kun!"

"You're so sweet!"

Sakura inwardly shook her head fondly and smiled outwardly. This wasn't all that bad. In fact, it kind of reminded her of something...

"Well, if we're going to be the best of friends, I think it would be best if I learned your names." She rubbed the back of her head nervously, laughing weakly. "I realize now that I neglected to ask for your names earlier." She smiled apologetically and the three giggled, waving offhandedly. The blonde was the first to speak, ponytail bouncing as she straightened. She had a slightly larger-than-normal nose, but a lovely smile and warm brown eyes.

"I'm Nioi Shōga; it's a pleasure to meet you Saki-kun." She extended her hand and Sakura accepted the gesture, shaking hands in greeting. The other two girls giggled and were quick to follow Shōga's example.

"I'm Kirei Katami! Please take care of me Saki-kun!" Katami's long brown curls framed her round face pleasantly and her bright blue eyes sparkled happily at Sakura. She took the pinkette hands in her own and smiled widely. Sakura smiled back and squeezed the brunette's hands gently, silently passing her a _Hello._

The last girl had straight black hair pulled into two low pigtails and was about the same height as the pinkette, maybe only a hair taller. She had happy hazel eyes and a delicate blush at her cheeks.

"U-uchiki Fushi. Might I call you 'Sakura-kun'?" She asked shyly, cheeks turning a brighter shade of pink.

Sakura blinked in surprise but then nodded slowly, a curious smile at her lips. "O-of course, Fushi-chan. Whatever you please. But, might I ask why?"

Fushi sighed dreamily, hands rising to cup her cheeks. "Sakura is such a lovely name, even for a young man. And it really suits you! Calling you 'Sakura-kun' makes me feel as if we're great companions already."

Sakura chuckled, smiling warmly. She was sure that the three were going to be wonderful friends to her, even if they all thought she was a boy.

They watched her expectantly and Sakura turned thoughtful, finger at her chin. "I believe you asked what my favorite color was, Shōga-chan. Correct?"

The blonde grinned, nodding enthusiastically.

Sakura glanced around the room, as if in thought. She realized that many girls were watching her, some listening intently to her conversation. Most of the hosts had paused and were watching her as well, apparently trying to gauge what she would do next.

'_Suoh said to entertain them. Hmm, let's see what I can do...' _She turned her attention back to the three girls as she leaned forward, absentmindedly playing with her fingers as she spoke.

"I really like dark-greens. They remind me of the forest and the earth; calm but full of life. But," her gaze traveled skyward, imagining pictures in the elegant ceiling. "I must admit, my favorite color is a bright sky blue," she dropped her gaze to land on Katami and a fond smile crossed her lips as she tucked a few pink strands behind her ear. "Much like your eyes, actually, Katami-chan." She gave her closed eye smile, but not quite adding the 'sad' element yet as her head tilted to the side. "They're quite lovely."

The brunette gasped, eyelids fluttering rapidly as she looked away from Sakura, giggling adorably.

Sakura straightened and smiled her now signature sad smile, eyes dropping to the top of the table. "In fact, two of my very best friends from when I was younger had eyes just like yours, Katami-chan." She looked up at the three girls who were watching her intently.

"I really do appreciate your friendships, princesses." her head tilted to the side once more. "It means so much to me."

A pause, and...

The squeals that followed didn't belong to just Shōga, Katami, and Fushi.

Suddenly, Sakura found herself surrounded by many squealing and blushing girls, a few wiping away tears. It was hard to hear what they were saying, but she realized they were all exclaiming relatively the same thing.

"We want to be Saki-kun's friends too!"

Emerald eyes darted from face to face in pure shock, her mouth slightly agape. They all seemed to be reaching out to her and she soon found her three girls crowded around her as well. She had no idea what to do, she was so completely overwhelmed. They all pressed closer, still proclaiming lifelong friendships.

Suddenly, Sakura grinned, a giggle bubbling inside her. The giggle grew louder and Sakura was soon laughing. She was slightly surprised to find teardrops collecting at the corner of her eyes and she smiled appreciatively to all of the girls.

"Thanks you so much, princesses! I'm sure we're all going to be the best of friends!"

They all squealed, slightly louder this time, and crowded closer. It was about then that Honey soared through the air and landed on Sakura, clinging to her once more. At the back of her mind, the pinkette contemplated the small blonde's remarkable aim.

"Saki-chan's so cute! I want to be his friend too!" He held up his bunny and grinned at her. "So does Usa-chan!"

All the young ladies crowded around Sakura "Aww!"-ed and squealed again, blushes dusting nearly all faces.

A few minutes later, the girls had reluctantly dispersed and Sakura was once again sitting alone with Shōga, Katami, and Fushi. They chatted for a bit more and Sakura learned more about them.

Shōga's family ran a large spice and seasoning company with connections in India, China, and other countries known for their spices. The pinkette smiled; she knew, for sure, that most of the seasonings in the cabinets back home had the Nioi's label.

Katami was the heiress to a big photography franchise which specialized in family portraits, wedding shoots, and other large photo sessions. Sakura recognized the company name – most of the photos and mementos of her family had been commissioned from the Kirei family company. But she hadn't realized that was _Katami's_ family until now.

Fushi, along with her younger brother, was to one day take over her families gardening and landscaping business. Their flowers and trees were imported from all over the world but they only used naturally grown plants, and they took the utmost care of their flora. Sakura could remember a certain garden (one she'd often wandered through and lost track of time in) being built, grown, and taken care of by employees of the Uchiki's company.

"We provide the Host Club with exotic flowers often." Fushi said. She sighed dreamily and put a hand to her cheek. "It's so lovely to come here and see the Hosts surrounded by beautiful flowers. It's like they're nymphs or forest spirits."

Katami nodded in agreement and fanned herself with her hand, giggling under her breath. "I can just imagine Saki-kun surrounded by his namesake! The sun shining on his face as he smiles that adorably gloomy smile of his."

"Cherry blossoms falling all around," Shōga added, her hand hovering over her mouth to contain her laugh of delight, "Some of the petals falling in his pretty hair!"

"A lily in his hand and a lotus behind his ear!" Fushi gushed, cheeks pink.

"Wearing a traditional yakuta!"

"And a katana strapped to his belt!"

"He's sounds like a warrior!"

"Protecting the earth and pretty damsels!"

The three squealed in glee and Sakura laughed nervously, a weak smile at her lips. _'Their imagination...it's almost overwhelming.' _The girls blushed and looked over at Sakura, giggling to themselves.

"I-I want to be Sakura-kun's princess!"

"Me too!"

"And I!"

Sakura laughed and sat back in her chair, a wide grin splitting her face. _'I didn't realize that by pretending to be a boy, I might become someone's prince.'_

After they'd settled down and began talking more calmly, something sort of strange happened. Shōga was asking Sakura about her favorite foods, (_"I love sweets, especially syrup-coated anko dumplings and anmitsu. But I also like some sour foods like umeboshi." "Really? I love sweets too, Saki-kun!" "Me too! I absolutely adore __wagashi!"_) and reached for the teapot in the center of the table. "Would you like more tea, Saki-kun?"

Suddenly, Sakura wasn't in Ouran Academy's 3rd music room. She was in a clean, _pristine_, white room with a strip of teddy bear wallpaper running around the middle of the walls. The smell of antiseptic and sterilizer drifted through the air, but the scent of freshly baked cookies and tea covered most of it up. The sound of glasses clinking and children giggling filled the air.

Sakura sat at a small table, a purple tiara perched on her head and a green feather boa around her neck. Four little girls and one boy sat with her at the table, each wearing some sort of hat or necklace. Other children played around them, but they all seemed to flock to the pinkette.

"Would you like more tea, Sakura-oneechan?" a little brown-haired girl asked, holding a teapot up. Sakura smiled and took the pot from the girl's hands.

"Please, allow me my princess!" she poured some tea into the brunette's teacup, nose wrinkling appreciatively as the smell of Nestea tea-with-lemon reached her. The girl giggled taking a delicate sip of the cold tea.

"Me too Sakura-oneechan! I want some more tea!"

"I want a cookie!"

"Sakura-oneechan! Teddy got tea on his face!"

"Can we play house later, Sakura-oneechan?"

"You're a really pretty princess Sakura-oneechan! Do you have a castle?"

"Sakura-oneechan!"

"Sakura-oneechan!"

"Sakura-oneechan!"

She laughed, reveling in the attention and affection the children showered her with.

Sakura snapped back to the present and smiled at Shōga, taking the teapot from her hands just as she had before with the little girl.

"Please," she smiled softly, "Allow me, my princess." She poured the tea, completely unaware of Shōga's face reddening. Katami and Fushi squealed to each other, gushing and cooing behind their hands.

"M-may I have some more tea too, Sakura-kun?"

The pinkette smiled at Fushi and nodded, refilling her cup.

"Me too, Saki-kun!"

Sakura grinned, laughing once more. She couldn't help it; it just bubbled inside of her and burst out. This was kind of fun, she realized. Maybe being a host wasn't going to be _so_ bad.

**::**

_You've got pressure dripping off your shoulders_

**::**

"Hmm," Tamaki hummed thoughtfully, watching Haruno as he talked with his three guests. It was quiet in the room, as if everyone was trying to listen to the newest host's conversation. When the group of girls suddenly swarmed around the boy, his eyes widened slightly.

He chuckled, and Kyouya raised an eyebrow at him. Tamaki looked over his shoulder, grinning to himself. "Saki-kun's better than I thought. I think we made an excellent choice in recruiting him!"

Kyouya smirked. He was still browsing Haruno's file, leisurely taking his time to review what the school knew of the boy.

"Huh." Tamaki said, sitting up as he watched Sakura.

"What is it, Tamaki."

"He has such great manners. And seems to be chivalrous. I wasn't expecting that." Tamaki grinned sheepishly to himself. "Actually, I was expecting him to be somewhat like Haruhi. I guess it never occurred to me that he's actually from a prestigious family, rather than being a commoner."

"Indeed." Kyouya murmured. He frowned, there was very little information on Haruno personal life. It spoke mostly his interest in medicine, an aunt, and parents that were...

"Oh my."

"Hmm? What is it Kyouya?"

He adjusted his glasses and glanced across the room at the smiling boy, expression thoughtful.

"Oh, it's nothing."

Tamaki raised an eyebrow at him but shrugged, turning to watch Haruno. The boy was full of surprises, as Tamaki had learned. He _did_ appear standoffish and somewhat cold to others, but he seemed so kind and gallant to the young ladies that seemed to be flocking to him. What else lay behind those emerald eyes and all too convincing sad smile?

Tamaki had a feeling that there was much to learn about their new host.

And, maybe, this wasn't so much a punishment as Tamaki had formerly thought.

**::**

_Let me be the one to relieve it._

**::**

Kaoru frowned.

That Haruno was turning out to be much different than he thought.

He was still pissed as hell at the guy for punching and hurting Hikaru but Pinky was...

Kaoru watched the girls suddenly crowd around the surprised boy. Haruno seemed genuinely shocked. But, as he watched, he started laughing, smiling at all the girls with that smile of his. Kaoru had to admit, he had a nice laugh.

When he'd found Hikaru on the floor, holding a bloody nose, he'd been so worried and upset. It had taken a lot of persuasion but his brother had finally (albeit reluctantly) told him what happened. Kaoru had trouble believing some pink-haired kid had managed to hurt Hikaru. But, he _did_ remember the newly transferred boy in their class that had been hanging around Haruhi. They'd both agreed a few days prior that _that_ was unacceptable.

Luckily, Hikaru's nose wasn't broken, but he was told to spend a day or two resting and not do anything to pop it out of place again. Kaoru had immediately contacted the other hosts (except for Haruhi who had bluntly told them that they were by no means welcomed at her house while she was sick) and retold what had happened to his twin.

He'd skipped classes that day to stay with Hikaru until after classes ended.

And then Mori and Honey had brought in Haruno.

Kaoru still had trouble believing that the boy had managed to land a punch to Hikaru but, the more the boy talked with that bite to his words, the more he began to believe.

Pinky's punishment wasn't so much a punishment anymore, but Kaoru couldn't make himself care all that much. Sure, he was going to make the kid's life a living hell (as would Hikaru, the moment he returned to school) but he kept thinking back to what his brother had said.

"_I...I don't blame Pinky. I could tell he was in a bad mood. But...I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. I suppose I deserved to get punched, after what I'd said."_

"_What exactly did you say, Hikaru?"_

"_Well, I told him to stay away from Haruhi."_

"_So? He has no business being around her."_

"_I kind of thought that too, but, earlier, I realized that Haruhi was just being accommodating and helpful. I guess _I _wouldn't have really minded being helped out by Haruhi if I was new."_

"_Still, he punched you."_

"_Yeah." He laughed, "I guess I'll just have to make his life hell then!"_

"Kaoru-kun?"

Kaoru snapped out of his reverie and turned his attention to the girl peering curiously at him. She'd just returned from the group that had been surrounding Haruno. She was blushing and wiped and stray tear from her cheek. She smiled at Kaoru and tilted her head to the side.

"Where _is_ Hikaru-kun? He wasn't at class today..."

Kaoru grinned mischievously and tapped the side of his nose.

"I believe Hikaru will want to tell you _that_ story himself."

She giggled and nodded, sipping her tea. He could see her eyes travel back to Haruno, as well as the other girl at the table. Kaoru watched the boy as well, smirking when the brunette at the table whispered something in his ear that made him blush furiously. The blonde said something as well, tapping the brunette's hand lightly and Haruno laughed.

He really _did_ have a nice laugh.

He watched him for the rest of the afternoon, until the Host Club closed its doors and everyone returned home.

Kaoru still didn't like him, but he was...

Entertaining.

Maybe he wasn't _that_ bad of a guy.

**::**

_Let's get unprofessional_

**::**

It was nearing six o'clock when Kyouya passed her by, letting her know that the Host Club ended its sessions at 6:00 PM and began at 4:30 PM, every afternoon after school, and ran from three to four on most Saturdays.

Sakura had raised an eyebrow at him but nodded to herself. _'Guess this is a daily thing. I suppose I _had_ been interfering with Fujioka's schedule.'_

Shōga, Katami, and Fushi bid her adieu, saying that they'd be requesting her again sometime soon. Apparently, the hosts usually had multiple appointments during a Host session, switching ladies about three times. The girls giggled and said they were delighted that they'd been "Saki-kun's practice customers and had received an extra, _extra_ long time with him."

All the girls left, some stealing glances at the pinkette on their way out, and Sakura stayed behind to help clean up.

Which, apparently, was unnecessary. Honey informed her that the school's cleaning staff usually took care of the tea sets and tables after the Host Club was done. She trailed out of the school after the other boys, smiling in thanks at Mori who held the door open for her. He flashed her what she guessed to be one of his rare smiles and Sakura suddenly found herself blushing.

That had probably been the most attention she'd received from him that entire afternoon, not including when he'd practically dragged her to the music room. (Of course, she was unaware that he, as well as Honey, had been watching her progress intently. Smirking and chuckling to himself occasionally)

Tamaki announced that she'd done well for her first day and that tomorrow they'd arrive back at the 3rd music room at two o'clock to run through a few instructions and give her his thorough review of her first day.

They all slipped into their chauffeured vehicles (limos and fancy, sleek cars) and left the school. Honey rolled his window down at the last minute and called out to her.

"See you tomorrow Saki-chan!"

Sakura replied with a simple wave and smile, blushing once more when she caught Mori's eye and saw him smile at her again.

Soon, she was left alone in the Ouran Academy courtyard. Sakura sighed and began to make her way home, mind buzzing as she walked down the street. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, glad she'd remembered to grab her messenger bag, and quickly checked it for any missed calls or new texts. Seeing none, she sent a quick message out.

"_I'll stop by Sunday, Sensei. Busy on Saturday."_

She was about to return her phone to her pocket when she froze, realization hitting her.

Tomorrow was Saturday.

Today was Friday.

Today was _Friday._

_Today was freaking Friday._

"SHIT!"

She cursed to the trees and birds and gripped her head, guilt pinching her tightly in her chest.

"I can't believe I forgot! I haven't forgotten in two _years_." She frowned sadly, and resumed walking. "It's too late now."

She groaned, putting her phone to her ear to make a call.

"They're going to be so _upset_."

The happy faces of the children from earlier, the ones from the tea party, flashed through her mind. Their expressions turned to ones of sadness and a few started crying.

Sighing in defeat, Sakura slipped her phone into her pocket when no one picked up, and raced home.

Breathing steady and limbs pumping to move faster, Sakura frowned and mumbled under her breath.

"Being a host is going to be much more difficult than I thought."

**::**

_Don't you know it's gonna' feel much better with..._

**::**

**notes: **That was pleasantly longer than the last chapter, don't you think so? Much of this was planned out a while ago and I've been looking forward to writing it!

Things are getting interesting. And complicated. And fluffy. And fun.

But mostly fun.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I loved writing it and will probably get started on the next soon!

Here's how the pairing votes are faring so far.

Kyouya 2

Mori 3

Hikaru 4

Kaoru 2

Honey 1

Tamaki 0

Haruhi 0

Nekozawa 3

Kasanoda 0

Hikaru/Sakura/Kaoru 3

There are 8 votes for Tamaki/Haruhi and 1 vote for Hikaru/Haruhi. Those of you who have requested HikaSaku might have to wait a bit. But, I promise, HikaSaku fluff is on its way! As well as the NekoSaku! (Though that wait might be longer...)

I imagine some of you are having trouble believing everyone thinks Sakura's a guy what with her appearance. Let's just say that most people believe what they're told, not wanting to question things and make everything difficult. Besides, I know a few male anime characters that have pink hair.

I'm really starting to love this story. Anyone fancy drawing me some fanart? :3 I'd greatly appreciate it and happily take a few requests for the story from you! (Yeah, I'm totally bribing all you young artists out there~) You can find me on DeviantART under 'Thirrin73' (I also have a link to my page on my FF profile)

Thanks again and see you next chapter!

Remember...

Reviews = Love = Happiness = Inspiration = Faster Updates = More Smiles

Create some smiles people

**::Thirrin73::**


	3. Of Unexpected Reunions

**notes: **Whoa, 70 reviews in just two chapters. You guys are awesome, you know that right?

Well, I was going to try and update _**Sugar and Spice Makes Everything Nice**_ and _**Sugar Cube **_before this, but I just couldn't get this story out of my head. So, here we are.

Thanks so much for the reviews guys! Something was wrong with the reply-link and I was so overwhelmed with the reviews (hugs and kisses to all!) that I was unable to reply to some. But fret not my lovelies, I've started anew and shall now try to reply to reviews as soon as I receive them rather than let them build up in my inbox (a part of me is shaking my head at how full of myself I'm sounding. This doesn't count as bragging does it? (you've no idea how much my ego had blown up since I started _**Sugar Cube**_)).

Also, the voting for the pairings will be closed for a while so don't bother voting this time around (and for the next three or so chapters). The results (so far) will be kept secret for now~

Oh, and when it focuses on Sakura's thoughts, don't be confused when she refers to Haruhi as a boy, even in the text. The same will be for Haruhi referring to Sakura as a boy. They think the other is a guy, remember.

BTW, a little Yuri ahead.

Enjoy!

This one goes out to _Angelic Sakura Blossom_!

**::**

_**Just a Little Bit...**_

_**Of Unexpected Reunions**_

**::**

_Ooh!  
>Just a little bit of...<em>

**::**

Sakura sighed as she walked down the street, the hood of her coat pulled up and her scarf wound snuggly around her neck. She tilted her head back and gazed up at the cloudy sky, ignoring the chill in the air. It was only 1:15 so she took her time as she strolled to Ouran Academy, not really looking forward to what was to come.

Inwardly, she wondered what Tamaki had planned for the afternoon. Katami had said that the Host Club sometimes themed their sessions, from chivalrous knights to wild jungle men. What would she find when she pushed past those double doors? Sakura shuddered in thought, hoping against hope that they wouldn't make her dress up in some sort of flamboyant outfit. She was much more comfortable in her own clothes.

'_Although,' _she looked down at her blue and black clothing, a slight smirk at her lips. _'This uniform is starting to grow on me.'_

A particularly cold gust of wind blew in her face and she shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her body and inwardly cursing as her hood fell back. It was kind of stupid, she admitted to herself, she had a perfectly good car that she could drive, but she was just too stubborn and had long ago decided she would travel on foot to places within walking-distance. A part of her longed to be behind the wheel of her birthday present from her aunt, but a different, stronger part of her flipped that side the bird and told her to "Suck it up, dammit, this is much more healthy and I thought you _didn't _want to be like those prissy rich bastards and have yourself chauffeured everywhere."

A sleek and glamorously out of place car raced passed her and Sakura frowned, pushing the two arguing sides of her to the back of her mind. She twiddled with the end of her scarf, wondering why her head was so messed up, and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

She skimmed her messages, making a mental note to call her Sensei again, and blinked in surprise, hand stilling, as a loud shout rang through the cold air.

"Saki-chan!"

Before she could react to the familiar voice, Sakura was suddenly fighting gravity for the ability to stay standing as Honey barreled into her back and latched himself onto her. She gasped, fumbling for balance, as her hands instantly went to Honey's arms wrapped around her shoulders as her instinct to make sure he didn't fall kicked in. Countless times she'd done the same for younger children and the motion was now second nature to her.

"H-honey-senpai!"

"Saki-chan!"

She glanced over her shoulder at his happy face, vaguely noticing Mori only a few feet behind them, and frowned to herself. "What are you doing here? I didn't picture you as one to walk to school."

He grinned, snuggling closer to her and shook his head.

"Nope! Takashi and I were riding to the school when we spotted you on the sidewalk! We decided to join you and keep you company! We didn't get to talk with you much yesterday since you seemed so popular with the girls."

Sakura sighed and slipped her phone back into her pocket as she remembered that _Takashi_ was Mori's first name. She realized that the sleek car must have been their ride as she glanced back down the street. Honey pouted at her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Why are you walking Saki-chan? Don't you have a car?" He asked innocently as Sakura began walking again, well aware that Mori was at her side. She readjusted the blonde and hummed to herself.

"Yeah, but I prefer walking." She answered simply, shrugging under Honey's hold. She inwardly grimaced as her pace slowed down involuntarily. He didn't really weigh that much and she was slowly getting used to him clinging to her, but Sakura wasn't too used to walking and carrying someone his size around.

Apparently, the grimace hadn't been so inward as Mori suddenly slowed down and plucked Honey from her back, holding the surprised boy midair.

"Mitskuni." He began, voice low and soft. Sakura blinked in surprise as she realized after a few moments that Mori was speaking.

"You're too heavy."

She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Mori's bluntness, swiftly spinning on her heel to catch Honey's shocked and slightly wounded expression. Face blank, Mori set the shorter boy down, his gaze slowly drifting to Sakura. She gulped, completely caught off-guard, but then turned her attention to a sniffling Honey. Her eyebrows turned down and her shoulders slumped, but, before she could step forward and comfort the blonde, he suddenly ran at her, arms out and tears falling down his face. His hug nearly knocked her over and she awkwardly patted his head as he apologized profusely.

"Wah! I'm so sorry for burdening you, Saki-chan! I'm so used to Takashi carrying me; I didn't realize I was too heavy for you! Please forgive me!"

Sakura grimaced, rubbing Honey's back comfortingly, as she felt an off-sense of guilt wash over her.

"I-it's ok, Honey-senpai. I don't mind, really."

Honey instantly perked up and jumped back, grinning up at her as his tears vanished. She blinked in surprise at his sudden change in mood, but then Honey was taking her arm and pulling her down the street towards the school before she could react. She hurried to keep up with him and found herself smiling in amusement as the blonde grinned back at her and called over his shoulder.

"C'mon Takashi! We don't want to be late!"

Sakura heard Mori sigh and she laughed to herself, not really surprised when the tall boy appeared at her side, his long legs easily allowing him to keep up with the two. He sent her an apologetic look and she simply shrugged in answer, grinning up at him. He gave her a slight smile and Sakura felt her face heat up. She quickly turned her attention back to the boy guiding her, careful to watch her step.

They were soon at the school, Honey now on Mori's back and Sakura slowly unraveling her scarf. The entrance looked locked and she paused, but the two simply pushed pass the doors, the taller once again holding the door for her. Strange as Mori and Honey might be, they were turning out to be pretty pleasant companions, Sakura realized.

The building was quiet, a welcomed change to the noisy halls during the school day in Sakura's eyes. Honey and Mori didn't stop and continued straight for the 3rd music room, the pinkette trailing behind them. The sound of muffled conversation drifted through the closed door to the three and Honey grinned to himself.

"Sounds like Tama-chan is already here!"

Mori nodded in agreement and it took Sakura a moment to realize that by _Tama-chan_, Honey had meant Tamaki. She frowned, suddenly uneasy and wishing she was back outside. What, exactly, did the flamboyant blonde have planned for the afternoon?

Mori and Honey pushed open the doors and stepped into the room. Sakura followed and raised an eyebrow at the shower of rose petals that cascaded down.

She froze, however, eyes widening in horror as Tamaki turned to them, a smile in place and a colorful ensemble held in either of his hands.

"Ah! You're here! Tell me, which do you prefer? Dreamy butlers or wild animal tamers?"

Well, shit.

**::**

_Haah!  
>Just a little bit of...<em>

**::**

Sakura adjusted and readjusted the neck of her forest-green turtleneck for the umpteenth time, decidedly miserable in her outfit. Tamaki had gone with the animal tamers and it seemed as if only she and Kyouya were unhappy with the decision.

Well, the outfit wasn't _that_ bad. The long-sleeved turtleneck was made of a material so soft it felt as if Sakura was being hugged by a chinchilla and the black and grey pinstriped vest fit snuggly. Her black slacks were comfortable and the boots were warming her feet delightfully. She flicked the rim of her fedora and glanced around the jungle-themed room, mildly surprised that Tamaki had gotten everything decorated so quickly.

Her eyes fell on Kyouya and she raised an eyebrow at the irritation blossoming on his face. She couldn't tell if he was most upset with the fact that Tamaki had set this up without his knowledge or input or that he'd been paired with the ring-tailed lemur.

It was constantly removing his glasses, stealing his pen, and climbing all over him. He seemed about ready to snap.

Mori and Honey, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind their animals. The blonde was introducing his fluffy, white bunny to Usa-chan and Mori's colorful macaw was asleep on his shoulder.

Fiddling with her shirt sleeve and sending a curious glance at the birds of paradise floral arrangement next to her, Sakura thought back to what Tamaki had said when he'd announced his decision. Apparently, as 'animal tamers', they would each have an animal to show-off to their customers. _'Alright,' _she'd thought at the time, _'doesn't sound too bad.' _

Of course, she'd been expecting a whip and a stuffed tiger, but then Tamaki had showed them to six cages, each housing a very real, very _alive_ animal. She still had no idea how he had arranged to have all the animals be brought here, even when there was a possibility that they wouldn't be needed.

She sighed, watching Tamaki twirl around with his sugar-glider, a small creature similar to a flying squirrel. She'd yet to find out what animal she'd be paired with and she had a feeling it wouldn't be good.

The tall blonde finally approached her, his sugar-glider perched on his shoulder. He grinned, apparently quite comfortable in his white turtleneck.

"Now, Saki-kun, let me introduce you to your companion for this afternoon!" He led her away and stopped before one of the covered cages. Tamaki pulled back the tarp and Sakura's jaw nearly dropped.

Entwined around a suspended branch was a large yellow and white snake, its amber eyes staring up at the two.

"This is Kogane-hime! She's a B-"

"Burmese python, I know." Sakura interrupted quietly.

Tamaki seemed pleased with her knowledge and quickly opened the cage door and ushered the snake out. She obediently slithered towards him, allowing him to pick her up.

"She's quite tame and extremely well-trained," he explained as he caught the shock in Sakura's eyes, "Let's see how you do!" He draped the snake over her shoulders and stepped back, grinning cheekily as his sugar-glider poked its head out of his breast-pocket.

Sakura was suddenly reminded of what he'd said a little while ago.

"_I'll be testing you and your abilities to charm the ladies over the next week or so. You do well and your punishment will be ended sooner; do badly and we'll have to add on to your time as a host!"_

She was pretty sure this was one of those tests.

The rosette suspected that most of her customers would be afraid of Kogane, so it would be her job to get them to warm up to her. She secretly smiled as Tamaki turned away, adjusting the snake into a more comfortable position for them both. She supported her large sleek, yellow head and rubbed her scales affectionately.

A friend of her aunt had a soft-spot for snakes and had long since introduced her to every single one of his reptilian companions. She was most fond of Manda, a large, rare, purple and black Boa with an affinity for wrapping around her waist and gently squeezing her occasionally. He was a real sweet-heart and had never harmed her, much to her aunt's relief and Manda's owner's delight.

She smirked; this was going to be fun.

Sakura glanced over at the last cage, in which Kaoru's fennec fox was sleeping peacefully. The boy had yet to show up and it was almost three, the Host Club's opening time. Tamaki was upset and Kyouya was taking notes, repeatedly snatching his pen back from his lemur.

"He'll show up eventually, Tamaki. We'll just have to start without him."

Tamaki snorted at Kyouya's words, his irritation showing on his face.

"Annoying boy! Why do those two always have to make a mess of things?"

The dark-haired boy took his glasses back from the lemur, mumbling something along the lines of "Now we're short _three_ hosts." under his breath.

Sakura frowned, patting Kogane's head as she turned her attention to the double doors of the room. She could hear footsteps and voices, which meant they would soon have company.

"Um, Tamaki-senpai?"

He looked over at her in question, holding his little animal delicately in his hands. Kyouya looked up as well and swatted the lemurs hand away gently as it reached for his glasses again.

Sakura nodded her head over at the doors and Tamaki's eyes widened in realization. He jumped and caught Honey and Mori's attention, gesturing wildly around.

"Places! Places! The ladies are almost here!"

Unsure, Sakura watched as the four immediately made their way towards the middle of the room, the same spot they had greeted the girls the day before. At Tamaki's shout she quickly took a spot next to Honey, eyeing his rabbit and Mori's (now awake and fully alert) bird. Kogane seemed to have no interest in either of the two and simply wrapped her tail around Sakura's arm, resting her head on the pinkette's hand.

Slowly, the two doors opened and a shower of rose petals fell onto the group of giggling girls. They all _Oohed_ and _Aahed_ at the exotic flowers and rainforest-esque feel of the room before their eyes fell on the five hosts, collective gasps and squeals sounding.

Sakura could only raise an eyebrow and stand awkwardly as the four boys all smiled (to varying degrees) and said a single word.

"Welcome."

But, then she frowned as she saw the shock and (somewhat) horror in a few of the girls eyes as they saw the snake draped over Sakura's shoulders.

Maybe this was going to be a bit more difficult than she thought.

**::**

_Ooh!  
>Just a little bit of...<em>

**::**

Sakura smiled weakly, inwardly grateful that she was hosting Shōga, Katami, and Fushi again as she sat at the small table, examining their expressions carefully. Shōga and Katami were watching Kogane unsurely while Fushi sent her the same shy smile, rolling her teacup in her hands.

The rosette chuckled and leaned forward, finger stroking the snake's head.

"Oh, come now girls. Are you all really _that_ afraid of Kogane-hime? Look at her, she's such a sweet-heart!"

The three instantly sent Sakura their full attention as they all tried to speak at the same time.

"It's not that Saki-kun we-"

"I'm sure K-kogane is a nice snake but-"

"Actually, I-"

Sakura laughed and motioned for Shōga to come closer. She seemed hesitant, but then, slowly, she scooted her chair closer to Sakura.

"Give me your hand, please, Shōga-chan."

The blonde unsurely extended her hand, raising an eyebrow at the pinkette. Sakura smiled and gently took her wrist, placing the girls hand carefully on Kogane's side. Shōga flinched, tensing up, before slowly relaxing and running her hand along the scales.

"See? It's not so bad, is it?"

Shōga looked up, a smile at her lips, and Sakura grinned back. The blonde kept her gaze for a few moments before nodding, patting Kogane's side.

"It feels so _smooth_." Shōga said before smiling back up at Sakura. "Your hands are warm too, Saki-kun."

The rosette chuckled and nudged the blonde affectionately. Suddenly, Katami was leaning across the table, Sakura's attention her main objective. "Saki-kun! Might I pet Kogane-hime as well?"

Sakura grinned, instantly gesturing her closer. "Of course Katami-chan! Come here."

The girl smiled, giddy with excitement, and moved her chair closer. Her hand on the pinkette's arm and her side pressed against Sakura's, she reached out to stroke the snake's back, fawning over the cool and smooth feel of the scales. Shōga pressed closer as well, her shoulder brushing Sakura's.

Sakura smiled and the girls giggled, cooing words of affection to Kogane. She looked up and saw Fushi watching the python, a delicate smile at her lips. When she realized that Sakura was watching her, she blushed and quickly looked away, the corner of her lips turning up slightly.

The rosette grinned and waved her over. "C'mon Fushi-chan, come say _Hi_ to Kogane-hime." The girl blinked in surprise before smiling and nodding, standing to move next to Sakura. Shōga inched over for her and continued petting the snake, glancing at Sakura out of the corner of her eye occasionally. With a steady and sure hand, Fushi reached out and dragged her fingertips over Kogane's scales, bending down slightly to speak quietly into Sakura's ear.

"Personally, I just adore snakes, Sakura-kun. Kogane-hime is absolutely beautiful and so well-behaved."

Mildly surprised, Sakura caught Fushi's hazel eyes before smiling fondly. Katami squealed in delight when Kogane flicked her forked tongue out and Shōga commented on Sakura's easiness with the large snake.

And the session continued like that, the three girls chatting with Sakura and occasionally petting the peaceful snake, the four's friendship steadily growing, until it was time for the next group of girls to have their time with the rosette. Shōga, Katami, and Fushi parted from Sakura's table regretfully, pouts and promises to see the pinkette again shared by the three.

The two girls that Sakura Hosted next giggled and smiled as they greeted her, blushing all the while. She recognized them from the day before and welcomed them happily, introducing herself (at which they giggled adorably) and motioning for them to sit. Apparently, they'd been watching the pinkette with her three former guests and had no problem sitting closer to her and petting Kogane. After a few minutes, the snake seemed to fall asleep, loosely coiled around her neck, and the two girls began chatting with Sakura after introducing themselves.

Sakura was just about to answer Hari's question about her favorite school subject when she suddenly felt two identical weights on both of her shoulders. Hari and Besshi both gasped and began giggling at whatever was behind Sakura, hiding their blushing faces behind their hands, and the rosette calmly looked over her shoulder. Her gaze fell on a blue-clad elbow and traveled up the arm to a shoulder before finally resting on Hitachiin Hikaru's mischievously grinning face, a white bandage placed across the bridge of his nose.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here Kaoru?" Hikaru asked as he casually leaned on her, a somewhat evil glint in his eyes.

Emerald eyes darted to the other side to find the other twin leaning on her shoulder as well. She frowned, watching the two carefully.

"Oh, this is just the Host Club's newest host, Harunai. He joined yesterday while you were home, Hikaru."

"Harun_o_." She said tensely, shrugging her shoulders in attempt to get the two off of her.

The two chuckled and stepped back, apparently ignoring her correction. They grinned and Besshi spoke up suddenly.

"Hikaru-kun? What happened to your nose?"

The twins shared another smirk.

"It was so heroic!" Kaoru gushed, hand at his forehead as if he were about to faint. "After school yesterday, a big, _ugly_ guy was bullying me when Hikaru appeared and saved me!"

Hikaru took his brother's hand, pulling him closer. The two girls squealed and Sakura frowned, not missing how Kaoru had looked at her pointedly when he'd said _ugly_.

"But the _monster_ of a man had a short temper!" Hikaru added, holding his fist out dramatically. "He managed to land a punch before I could do away with him." He tapped his bandaged nose and smiled sadly.

"It was so terrifying! Seeing Hikaru attacked so _savagely." _Kaoru said, hugging his brother tightly

Hari and Besshi squealed once more, blushes at their cheeks. Sakura, on the other hand, seemed unimpressed and regarded the two boys dryly. She'd caught them sending her quick glances at every emphasized word and understood their hidden meaning.

"Oh, please." Sakura said, waving them off. "You probably just walked into a door, Hikaru-san." She smirked to herself when they each sent her abrupt dark looks.

"Now, if you'd please leave, I'd like to finish my conversation with Besshi-chan and Hari-chan." The two aforementioned girls blushed and giggled, Hari reaching out to pet the still slumbering Kogane.

Hikaru and Kaoru shared a look and suddenly stepped forward to grasp Sakura's chair, turning her around to face them.

"We'll leave you alone Pinky, if you play a little game with us." Hikaru said, a smirk at his lips.

Sakura's eye twitched at being called _Pinky_ but she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Why type of game?"

Suddenly, both Hikaru and Kaoru pulled out a green, plaid hat. Looping arms, they grinned devilishly. They spoke in unison, apparently a well-practiced line.

"The Which One is Hikaru Game!"

The two girls cheered in delight and a few other girls and hosts looked over in curiosity. Sakura's eyebrow rose further and she crossed her arms, waiting for them to continue. The object of the game was obvious but something in their eyes seemed slightly out of place - _cunning._ They suddenly turned around and switched places back and forth in a blur before facing forward once more, leaving everyone to wonder which twin was which.

Behind her, she heard Hari whisper to her friend.

"Saki-kun will be able to tell Hikaru-kun apart easily! He still has his bandage on!"

True enough, the white bandage still lay across the boy's nose, identifying the twin. Sakura frowned, this was too easy. They must be pulling some sort of trick. Had they switched the bandage while they were turned around?

She grimaced, keen green eyes searching their faces. No, there was no sticky residue on the other boy's nose and the bandage was still placed _exactly _in the same place, at the same somewhat lopsided angle. She watched their faces, ignoring their chuckles and the girls questioning whispers. "Why hasn't he pointed Hikaru-kun out yet?"

It was then, as Sakura examined their noses from a distance, that she noticed something. She smirked and idly stroked Kogane's side.

Her hand rose and she pointed to the twin on the left, the boy without a bandage.

"_You're_ Hikaru-san." Her finger traveled to the one with the bandaged nose. "And _you're_ Kaoru-san."

Behind her, the girls blanched, immediately questioning Sakura's eyesight and sanity.

"Wrong!" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaimed happily.

Sakura's smirk grew.

"No, I'm right." Everyone stared at her and the twins frowned to each other. She continued, her lips tilting victoriously. "Kaoru-san was wearing the bandage from the beginning. They obviously wanted to trick me and make me look like a fool when they revealed the truth."

The two sighed and removed their hats to fix their hair into their respectable 'do's. Kaoru removed the bandage on his nose and sent Hikaru a weak smile.

"He beat us, Hikaru."

His brother grimaced, nodding regretfully.

Hari and Besshi gasped, gazes darting to the pleased pinkette. They leaned forward in curiosity, eyes wide and smiles admirable.

"How were you able to tell, Saki-kun?" Hari asked.

Hands held out, she shrugged modestly, eyes closing as she smirked. She sent the two each a smile and spoke.

"I plan on being a doctor and anatomy is one of my best subjects. I have a keen eye for disfigurations and deformities so I was able to spot the slightly swollen bump on the bridge of Hikaru-san's nose and noticed that it was tilted at a slight angle." She explained before blinking in surprise, something occurring to her. The two girls cooed at how cool she was but paused when the rosette suddenly stood and walked towards the covertly-conversing twins. She grabbed a surprised Hikaru's arm and dragged him to the table, pushing him gently into a vacant seat.

"This is going to be driving me crazy if I don't fix if now." She murmured under her breath as she placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him from standing. She quietly examined his nose, ignoring everyone's incredulous stares. Kaoru was instantly at his bewildered brother's side, sending the pinkette a distrusting glance.

"What are you doing Haruno?" He demanded as she reached out and ran two fingers over his brother's nose. Hikaru flinched and reached up to grasp her wrist, eyes hard and challenging. She glared right back and glanced up at Kaoru.

"His nose is bent; he must have accidentally hit it during his sleep or something, misaligning it. If it isn't fixed soon, it'll heal at that angle." She explained, "Either it gets popped back into place now or it will stay at that angle for the rest of his life." Sakura paused, expression turning thoughtful. "At least until he gets it broken again, that is."

Hikaru grimaced at her, watching her expression carefully. He didn't like the sound of that; most of their pranks depended on them being identical and unable to be told apart. He looked over at his concerned brother, releasing Sakura's wrist.

"Fine, we'll go and get it fixed later today."

They both missed Sakura's frown and her snort of irritation.

"Nonsense." She murmured under her breath. They didn't seem to notice what she'd said and she turned Hikaru's face back towards her, fingers brushing his nose.

"Tell me, Hikaru-san, what's your favorite color?"

He sent her an incredulous and confused look.

"Why the he- Why should I tell you?"

She pursed her lips.

"Humor me."

He frowned, crossing his arms as she touched his nose delicately.

"Fine, Pinky. I like bl-"

_SNAP_

Hikaru cried out in a mixture of surprise and pain as Sakura suddenly gripped his nose and popped it back into place.

"Hikaru!"

His hands where instantly at his nose, holding it tenderly, and Kaoru was crouching down at his side, his expression concerned. Sakura stepped back, grinning triumphantly. She dusted the figurative dust off her hands and regarded the two boys. Kaoru's gaze snapped to her angrily as he stalked towards her, towering over the nonchalant pinkette forebodingly.

"What the hell was that for?" He exclaimed, gesturing towards his brother who was massaging his tender nose.

Kogane lifted her head, her sleep interrupted, and nuzzled Sakura's cheek, staring at the angry boy with intelligent amber eyes. Sakura stroked the snake's head and snorted.

"I just saved you and your brother a trip to the doctor. You're welcome."

Kaoru sputtered indignantly and Sakura stepped around him, moving to stand in front of Hikaru. Guilt blossomed on her face and she sent him an apologetic smile. Hikaru regarded her in surprise, hand dropping to his side.

"I'm sorry, Hikaru-san," He had a sudden suspicion that the pinkette wasn't just apologizing for popping his nose back into place; instead, apologizing for what had happened the other day. He was correct, of course, but no one else knew. She continued, rocking on her heels.

"But, it had to be done. Waiting any longer would have been even _more_ painful." She extended her hand and he raised an eyebrow. "It feels better now, doesn't it?"

Hikaru was about to shout that"_No,_ it does _not_ feel better!" when he blinked in surprise, realized that his nose _did_, in fact, no longer hurt. He'd gone through most of the morning with a slight, but painful, throbbing in his nose and, now, it _did_ feel much better. He smirked and reached out, gripping her hand, and giving it a firm shake.

"Actually, yeah, it feels much better."

She grinned, surprising him when she pulled him to his feet, and nodded knowingly.

"Haruno, was it?" The boy asked once he was standing, his brother moving to stand next to him. Kaoru glanced at his slightly red nose before regarding the rosette quietly.

Sakura smiled and stepped back, nodding in affirmative. She glanced back at the seated Hari and Besshi and pet Kogane absentmindedly.

"Now, if you don't mind, I should really get back to my guests." She sent the two girls a quick smile and they giggled behind their hands. Hikaru smirked and took his confused brother's arm and began to lead him away.

"Yeah, we should get to work as well. C'mon Kaoru. We can mess with him later." No one but his brother caught the last, whispered, part of what Hikaru said and the brothers shared a devilish smirk.

Sakura turned back to Hari and Besshi with an inward sigh, smiling softly at the girls. The session continued and Sakura's interest in being a doctor was thoroughly examined. She was mildly embarrassed by all of their questions but Sakura could honestly admit she was sad to see the two go when their time was up and the next group of girls were making their way towards her table. They sat down and introduced themselves and their session soon began. They eventually warmed up to the large snake still draped over Sakura's shoulders and asked the pinkette questions about her interests.

It was about then that everyone in the room heard the door open and all eyes darted to see who had entered. Sakura blinked in surprise when she realized that it was Fujioka standing in the doorway, large brown eyes traveling slowly over the occupants.

"Haruhi!"

Before the pinkette could blink, Tamaki had gathered the boy in his arms, twirling him around as he exclaimed his joy.

"You're back! Daddy has missed you so!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow – _'Daddy?' -_ and the other five hosts were at the door welcoming him and apparently extremely excited to see the brunette.

"T-tamaki-senpai! Let go of me!" Fujioka immediately pushed the blonde away, a frown at his lips. He held his hands up and tried to keep the other hosts at bay.

"I just came by to apologize for my absence and let you guys know that I'll be back at school Monday. Also, I left something here last week; I need to get it." He explained.

"So you're not hosting today, Haruhi-kun?" One of the girls asked, a pout at her lips.

Fujioka turned to the girl, smiling softly with closed eyes. "No, sorry. I'm still not feeling entirely well and I don't want to take the chance of getting anyone sick."

Sakura felt herself blush and she smiled lightly at the boy. _'He's so sweet. So much unlike the others. And he has such a pretty face.'_

It was then that the inevitable happened: the bright pink of Sakura's hair drew the boy's gaze towards her and Fujioka noticed the pinkette for the first time. His eyes widened in pure surprise and he stepped closer.

"Haruno-san? What are you doing here?"

Sakura laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "Uh, hi Fujioka-san. I'm, um, the ne-"

"Saki-kun has joined us as a host!" Tamaki interrupted jubilantly, finger idly petting the head of his sugar-glider. Fujioka raised an eyebrow as he noticed the animals and scenery and Tamaki continued. "Don't worry Haruhi, all will be explained later! The Host Club will be closing soon, so you must stay!"

Fujioka frowned, gaze traveling back to the pinkette, before he nodded slowly.

"I suppose I can stay for a little longer."

**::**

_Aah!  
>Is what you need<em>

**::**

Haruhi frowned as she sat on a cushioned bench at the edge of the room. Something didn't sit right with her; why was Haruno here? He didn't seem like the type to _want_ to be part of the Host Club, he'd come off as much more reserved when she'd first met the pink-haired boy. Something was wrong here. Haruhi bit her lip. Had he, somehow, been roped into the Host Club like she had? It seemed highly likely.

"Saki-kun! You simply _must_ visit the little café, _Kotta Kaiji_, in downtown Yume! They have the best sweets!"

Haruhi removed her coat and laid it down beside her. And why was everyone calling him _Saki-kun_? His name is Sakura, isn't it? She inwardly shrugged; it must be a nickname. Haruhi watched the boy, a slight smile at her lips. Whether Haruno had joined the Host Club willingly or not, he sure seemed at ease around the girls that were so obviously fawning over him.

She chuckled. The boy was so oblivious to how much the girls apparently liked him, it was almost funny.

Haruhi watched him smile at one of the girls at his table, eyes closing as he nodded.

"I'll definitely be sure to stop by there, Kimyou-chan. Thank you for telling me about it! Maybe we can both visit the café sometime?"

Haruhi smiled to herself, a faint dusting of pink at her cheeks. Haruno certainly was a natural when it came to Hosting. _'He's cute too.'_ She inwardly admitted, _'But not a Honey-senpai drastically-cute. More pretty and girl-like, actually.'_

She glanced down at her wrist-watch and figured she might as well retrieve her book now, the Host Club was just about to close. Haruhi stood and made her way across the room. She stepped into the room she normally used to change into the costumes for themed Host sessions. The brunette raised an eyebrow at the Ouran uniform, coat, and scarf that lay, neatly folded, on a bench in the corner. Whose were these?

Shrugging to herself, she ignored the clothing and searched for her book. She remembered dropping it a few days ago and quickly found the book, nestled behind the full-length mirror. Smiling to herself, she stepped out of the room and noticed that most of the girls were gone, leaving a few stragglers and the boys.

"Just a minute, Kimyou-chan. I left my phone in my coat."

Haruhi looked up as Haruno turned, making his way towards the room she'd just exited. He smiled at her, a slightly questioning look in his eyes, and Haruhi felt her face heat up somewhat. Haruno was but a few feet away when a rabbit and Honey suddenly raced passed, knocking into him.

"Bunny-chan! Come back!"

Haruno's balance was thrown off and he fell forward. Haruhi quickly moved forward to stop him from falling, but misjudged his weight and went down under him. She gasped as she hit the ground eyes snapping back open when she felt Haruno land on top of her. They locked eyes for a few moments, emerald and chocolate mingling.

'_He has such beautiful eyes...'_

Something akin to shock shone in Haruno's eyes and Haruhi blinked. The two stayed like that for a few moments longer, bodies pressed together from the fall and pink-haired boy's hands gripping Haruhi's shoulders. The squeals of the remaining girls managed to pull the two from their inner reveries and Haruno quickly jumped up, a gush of apologies flowing from him.

"I-I'm so sorry F-fujioka-san! Are you alright?" He held out a hand and Haruhi slowly accepted the offer, slightly surprised when the small-framed boy heaved her to her feet easily.

"It's ok, Haruno-san. No harm done." She answered, gaze never leaving the boys flushed face.

He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head and messing up his short, pink hair.

"Thank goodness I didn't have Shogane-hime, huh?"

Haruhi raised an eyebrow questioningly. _'Shogane-hime?'_ Suddenly the other hosts were surrounding them and the girls that had stayed behind slowly drifted out, sending their farewells as they giggled behind their hands.

"Haruhi-kun and Saki-kun are so cute!"

The brunette frowned, watching in idle humor as Honey suddenly jumped and latched himself onto Haruno's back, a pout at his lips.

"Wah! I'm so sorry Saki-chan! I made you fall on Haru-chan!"

"Haruhi! Are you alright?" Tamaki exclaimed, grabbing her shoulders as he looked her over for injuries. "You don't have a concussion do you? Bloody wounds? In shock? Speak to Daddy!"

And then Honey was apologizing vigorously to her as well, crying loudly.

Kyouya pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, scribbling something down in his book.

"Injuring yet _another_ Host Club member? We'll have to lengthen your punishment, Haruno-kun."

Haruhi's eyebrows furrowed at Kyouya's words and she looked over at the groaning pinkette.

"Punishment?"

Apparently, she'd been right about Haruno being forced into the Host Club.

**::**

_Ooh!  
>Just a little bit of...<em>

**::**

Sakura groaned in exasperation, rubbing her arm. It had been an _accident_, why was Kyouya making it seem like she'd done it on purpose? And Fujioka was obviously uninjured! She thought back to what had happened and frowned. She'd _noticed_ something when she was lying on top of Fujioka. It had been slight but it was enough to leave her wondering. She wasn't even sure it she was right, but she had a suspicion.

She managed to convince Honey to get off her back and she moved towards Haruhi, a determined frown at her lips. She could feel everyone watching her, their gazes questioning.

"Fujioka-san?"

The brunette looked up, brown eyes focused on the pinkette.

"Yes, Haruno-san?"

Sakura grimaced, iron-will wilting ever so slightly at the sight of those large doe-like eyes.

"This is probably going to be the strangest thing you've ever been asked but I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't at _least_ mostly sure of what your answer will be."

"H-haruno-san?"

Here goes nothing.

"Fujioka-san, are you a girl?"

Silence.

Then...

What she'd asked seemed to fully sink in and all eyes widened.

Fujioka's eyes grew larger and Sakura had a sinking feeling that she'd been wrong.

But then, he – _she_ tilted her head to the side.

"How did you know?"

Sakura grinned in triumph.

**::**

_Haah!  
>Just a little bit of...<em>

**::**

After the hosts overcame their initial shock of realizing that Sakura now knew Haruhi's secret they moved to sit on the two large couches, watching the pinkette curiously. Truthfully, Sakura had expected a little more shock or denial on Haruhi's part, but she apparently didn't really care if anyone knew she was a girl. She'd been more shocked that the rosette had been able to tell. _Somehow._

"How were you able to tell, Haruno-san?" Haruhi asked calmly from her spot next to Tamaki. Sakura smiled to herself.

"Like I told Hikaru-san and Kaoru-san earlier, I plan on being a doctor when I'm older and anatomy is one of my best and favorite subjects." At everyone's questioning looks she continued.

"Females hipbones are slightly different from males. When I landed on you and we were pressed against each other I could _feel_ that barely-there difference. I actually wasn't completely sure, but my Sensei always tells me to trust my instincts." She grinned. "And my instincts were telling me that you, Haruhi-san, were a girl."

Sakura frowned before laughing nervously.

"Also, I, ah, felt your bra straps through your shirt when I was gripping your shoulders."

Both Sakura and Haruhi's faces heated up slightly.

Tamaki sighed aloud, a hand at his forehead.

"Oh! Now that Saki-kun knows our Haruhi's secret, I'm afraid we'll have to _persuade _him to not tell anyone!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow, watching as the twins shared devilish smirks and Kyouya wrote something down.

"Looks like your punishment will be lengthened even _more_, Haruno-kun. We might even have to add something else onto it." He said, the light gleaming off his glasses sinisterly.

Sakura groaned.

Haruhi frowned.

"What exactly is all this talk of punishments about? What did Haruno-san do?"

Things were getting even more complicated.

**::**

_Ooh!  
>Just a little bit of...<br>__Aah!  
>Is what you need<em>

**::**

**notes: **And we're done! I really enjoyed this chapter and there's a few things I'm looking forward to in the next!

Happy belated Christmas everyone!

And, to those of you who are waiting on the next chapter for _**Sugar Cube**_, I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I shall be focusing on getting it written and posted! I've been feeling really blocked with it and getting distracted by a lot lately. But, I'll hopefully have it out sometime around New Years!

Thanks once again for all your wonderful review! I hope everyone liked this chapter!

Remember, voting will be closed for the next few chapters, so don't bother voting for now!

There were a few other things I'd wanted to say here, but I can't seem to remember them...

So...

Until next time!

Reviews = Love = Happiness = Inspiration = Faster Updates = More Smiles

Create some smiles people

**::Thirrin73::**


	4. Of Unwanted Explanations and Annoying

**notes: **Well, even though I wanted to get _**Sugar Cube**_'s next chapter written, I realized that I left all my notes and snippets that I'd written for it at my grandma's house. :I We'll be going back to her house in a few days so I thought, what the hey? I'll just update _**Just a Little Bit**_ since I have that entire chapter all planned out.

Also, THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS MY LOVELIES! As for those of you who are wondering when Sakura'll be found out, you'll be getting your answer soon. _Incredibly soon. _A part of me wanted to prolong her gender being found out but then a (much larger) part seriously wanted to write the scene that went along with it and the snips afterwards.

So, here we are.

You can all thank _cherryvampiress _for indirectly-challenging me to get this chapter out faster than I'd expected to. Freaking 3 days after I posted the third chapter. Go me.

A bit of pronoun mixing up ahead. 3rd person POV, but switching from one characters focus to another mid paragraph. Don't be confused when Sakura's referred to as a 'she' in one sentence when she's thinking/being focused on and then referred to as a 'he' when it switches to Haruhi or the boys' focus. Which will happen. Right away.

Also, a bit of cliché ahead. :D

And away we go!

Enjoy!

**::**

_**Just a Little Bit...**_

_**Of Unwanted Explanations and Annoying Outings**_

**::**

_Feeling the tension, feeling the stress  
>I've got a motion I wanna' confess<em>

**::**

After everything was explained to Haruhi and she was told just why Sakura was now a member of the Host Club (at which the brunette offered her condolences with a sympathetic smile) it was the pinkette's turn to learn why _Haruhi_ was in the Host Club disguised as boy. She sat on the couch, single pink eyebrow rising further and further at every new bit of information_. 'Fujioka had managed to survive an entire year with these idiots? Her patience is damned admirable. I don't think I'll be able to last a week with these guys!' _

"So I guess we're one in the same, huh Haruno-san?" Haruhi said with a small smile, unaware that their similarities didn't just stop at being forced into the Host Club. Sakura inwardly flinched, worried that her own gender-secret might have been found out. It didn't' seem so, though.

Sakura gave her a weak grin and nodded slowly before pausing.

"Since we'll obviously be spending a lot of time together, feel free to call me Sakura or Saki, Fujioka-san." She held out her hand, her smile widening.

Haruhi returned both the smile and the gesture, "Only if you call me Haruhi," she paused, "Sakura."

The pinkette nodded, giving Haruhi's hand a firm shake. She could tell that she and Haruhi were going to be great friends. Similarities (both obvious and unknown) aside, their personalities complemented one another and there was just something about Haruhi that Sakura liked.

Glancing down at herself, Sakura realized that she was still dressed in her animal tamer outfit. She stood, excusing herself, and quickly went to the room she'd changed in. Haruhi watched her go, realized that the clothes must have been hers. Reminded of her own coat, she hurried over to the bench she'd left her jacket and slipped it on, glancing over her shoulder when Tamaki suddenly shouted.

The six boys had huddled away in a corner of the room, discussing what should be done about Sakura now that he knew about Haruhi's secret. They'd been relatively silent for most of the time that Haruhi explained most of everything to the pinkette and now seemed to have come to a conclusion.

"So, it's decided! Saki-kun shall be watched closely to see if he plans on revealing Haruhi's gender! He'll continue to be a host but, rather than just have the title, he shall accompany us on our many trips and adventures!" Tamaki said as he turned from the huddle and approached the middle of the room.

Haruhi frowned, realizing that Sakura had been lucky before and not been given the entire Host Club treatment. Now, he'd have no choice but to tag along with the group (whether they were doing something Host related or not) and would be subject to even more of their idiocy. She sighed, it looked like Sakura was going to be assimilated into the Host Clubs 'family', much like she had back in her first year at Ouran. What role would Tamaki bestow upon the poor boy? Cousin like Mori and Honey? Or son/brother like Hikaru and Kaoru?

"Now!" Haruhi's attention was drawn back to the excited Tamaki. "We must celebrate having everyone back and welcome our dear Saki-kun!" He turned to Kyouya, a happy smile on his face.

"Mother, what should we do? Any ideas?"

Kyouya played along, albeit not entirely focused, as he read through his notes again. "I don't know Fatehr. Throw a party?"

"No, no!" Tamaki replied, gripping his chin in thought. "It needs to be more special! This is an important, memorable day!"

Haruhi sighed and sat back down on one of the couches, gaze traveling over to the other four Hosts. Hikaru and Kaoru didn't seem to be paying much attention to Tamaki and were simply immersed in their own, strangely silent, conversation. She could see their scheming smirks and knew that whatever they were planning wouldn't end well. Mori and Honey also seemed oblivious of Tamaki's planning and were occupied with Honey's tea party.

"Ah! I've got it!" Tamaki exclaimed and everyone looked up, their attention piqued.

"We shall take a trip to the commoner's shopping district! And then mark the day, as significant as it is, by treating Saki-kun to commoner's instant coffee! This shall be the most spectacular day of his young life!"

Everyone sent looks at the blonde, each of varying expressions and degrees. Haruhi massaged her temples, still blaming herself for every bringing instant coffee to the Host Club in the first place. She had a feeling that, with Tamaki's personality, his 'punishments' for Sakura weren't going to be anything close to an actual punishment. _'Though,'_ Haruhi thought,_ 'Considering Sakura's personality, he might find most of this more punishable and annoying than it should be.'_

Maybe, deep down, Tamaki was secretly a sadistic on a psychological level.

Much like Kyouya? Kami knew he was enjoying lengthening Sakura's membership in the Host Club.

"Where is dear Saki-kun? We must inform him of our celebration!" Tamaki announced, violet eyes scanning the large room.

"He went to change." Haruhi answered, nodding over to the room he'd disappeared in to.

"Ah!" the blonde replied, his eyes falling on the twins as he grinned, "Hikaru! Go tell Saki-kun of our plans for this afternoon. Quickly!"

The auburn-haired boy sent Tamaki a look as if to say "Why me?" but, nevertheless, stood and approached the small changing room. He didn't bother knocking as he figured the boy had had more than enough time to undress and get decent. His hand curled firmly around the doorknob and he was inwardly struck by a dreading feeling. He ignored it and opened the door, words falling almost uncaringly.

"Yo, Haruno, the kin-"

He froze, however, throat closing and words stopping as his eyes landed on the pale form of Haruno Sakura, his – _her_ back facing him and her black pants only pulled up as high as her mid-thighs. He could only watch with impossibly wide eyes, mouth hanging open, as she stiffened, shoulders tensing and just barely tugging at the straps of her bra.

Hikaru felt his hand shake around the doorknob as he caught her expression of identical horror in her reflection of the full-body mirror in front of her. He was aware of his gaze slipping down lower, watching as her legs tensed as well underneath the material of her pants, muscles wound painfully tight.

He couldn't even keep his gaze from pausing on her matching red boy-cut underwear, her hips tilted at just the right angle to give him an ample view of her behind.

"Wha-?"

It was his whispered, broken word that seemed to snap her out of her inner reverie. Her head slowly turned, gaze leaving the mirror to look over her shoulder at him. Her emerald eyes were nearly the size of dinner plates, her lips slightly parted to allow her breaths to stagger out in short, ragged gasps. He saw many different expressions swim through her eyes: surprise, shock, fear, terror, _horror_ – each more intense than the last.

And then, as her fingers curled around the hem of her jeans.

Anger.

_Fury_.

_Pure, unadulterated rage_.

"Get...out..." she whispered, hand reaching blindly to the bench at her right, grasping whatever that was in reach.

He was silent, still frozen in his spot, wide-eyes unblinking.

Her anger flared even more, if it was even possible.

"_**GET OUT!**_" Sakura screeched, a fire burning behind her eyes.

Hikaru was pulled from his daze just in time to dodge the shoe she threw at him – _hurled_ at him. He jumped back, slamming the door behind him as he heard – _felt_ her second shoe smash into the wood. He sunk down, back sliding against the door, as he stared ahead of him, eyes unseeing. Later, he would be incredibly relieved that he'd managed to dodge her shoe after finding a dent in the far wall with the shoe lying innocently on the floor, just under it.

But, now, all Hikaru could do was sit there in a daze as he tried to make sense of the storm of thoughts racing through his mind. He was vaguely aware of his brother crouching down in front of him.

Kaoru read the expression on his brother's stunned face, _feeling_ the words he wanted to say but was unable to.

"We have a problem."

**::**

_Looking so good when your hair is a mess  
>I'm tearing the buttons right off of your dress<em>

**::**

The seven sat on the couches in a silent daze, all but one pair of eyes resting on the shell-shocked form of Hikaru. His own topaz gaze was pinned to the floor as he tried to come to terms with what had happened. Pinky was a girl. A freakin' _girl_. He'd been punched and nearly gotten his nose broken by a _girl_. True, he saw the obviously femininity in him – _her_, but it he was having trouble believing it. From what little he'd interacted with Haruno, she didn't act like a girl, much less leave one thinking she was.

He groaned, head in his hands, as his mind involuntarily replayed the scene over and over. That look of fury one her face was haunting him. After being punched in the face by the girl merely because he'd said something to tick her off, he couldn't help wonder how much it was going to hurt when she punched him this time with all that rage backed up behind her fist, because she obviously was going to deck him again.

Kaoru was sending him a worried look, still slightly unbelieving what had happened. Hikaru had been so stunned he'd barely managed to explain everything to them. His words had been broken and jumbled as he told them what happened, that Haruno was a _girl_.

Tamaki seemed to be having trouble believing it as well and was currently deep in thought. Kyouya had mumbled something along the lines of, "No more new hosts; eventually there will be more girls disguised as boy than actual boys." and scribbled something away in his book. Honey and Mori were taking the news much better than the others and were currently distracted by their own hushed conversation.

Haruhi sent a worried glance at the door behind which Sakura was most likely trying to come to terms with what had happened as well. It had been almost ten minutes and the pinkette still hadn't left the room. It was eerily quiet. What was going through _her_mind? Why had she been pretending to be a boy in the first place? Haruhi stood, face set in a mixture of determination, sympathy, and worry.

"I'm going to go talk to hi – her." She announced, correcting herself at the last moment. The boys watched her go, each with varying expressions. Hikaru looked up at last, face twisted with both apprehension and annoyance, inwardly accepting the fact that he'd probably have to visit the doctor again soon.

Haruhi approached the door and knocked once on the firm wood. She waited a moment before speaking.

"Sakura? It's Haruhi. May I come in?"

Silence rang for a few seconds and the brunette glanced over her shoulder at the other hosts. And then she heard the pinkette's muffled voice.

"...Yeah."

Smiling encouragingly to herself, Haruhi opened the door and slipped inside, closing it behind her. She came in just as Sakura was finishing up a conversation on her cellphone.

Emerald eyes glanced up at her as Sakura bid whoever was on the other line a farewell.

"Yeah, thanks again Sensei...I'll try not to go all crazy like that again; I'll practice my exercises...Kay, sorry for bothering you...Huh?...Oh shut up Sensei, I'll see you tomorrow...hopefully...Bye." Sakura sighed as she ended her call, sending Haruhi a weak smile.

"So, I guess the truth's out?"

Haruhi nodded and returned her weak smile, moving to sit beside her on the bench. Now that Haruhi knew the truth, she was seeing the girl threw new eyes. She saw femininity the in her face, the small build of her body appearing much more doll-like than trim, and her pink hair giving her an air of delicacy rather than curiosity.

Sakura scooted over, head falling back to rest on the wall with a dull thud. "Man, and here I thought it was all going so well. I'd lasted this long without anyone knowing!" She crossed her arms over her chest, a pout at her lips. She was fully dressed in the Ouran uniform that she had been wearing before, her coat and scarf splayed out over her lap, and her animal trainer boots hugging her feat due to the fact that her other shoe was still outside the room. She glanced over at Haruhi out of the corner of her eye, pout deepening. "Guess I really should have made sure the door was locked, huh?"

Haruhi chuckled softly, nodding absentmindedly. "Yeah, that probably would have helped."

Sakura smirked to herself before grinning devilishly.

"I bet Hitachiin is scared out of his wits, isn't he?"

The brunette laughed, smile widening. "You should have seen the look on his face when he told us what happened. He looked like the devil himself was coming after him."

Sakura's grin grew, "I would expect so considering how I reacted. I nearly took off his head with my shoe."

Haruhi giggled, Sakura joining in with her own chortle.

Unbeknownst to the two, the six boys were all just outside the room, ears pressed against the door to try to hear their conversation (unsuccessfully). Well, Tamaki, Honey, Hikaru (who was calming down slightly), and Kaoru were, at least. Kyouya and Mori were looking on with faint amusement.

Sakura suddenly grimaced, hands rising to massage her forehead.

"I should probably apologize. I really overreacted; it wasn't his fault for walking in on me and finding me out. I guess I was just so surprised; my short temper doesn't really mix well with surprises."

Haruhi nodded slowly, an admirable smile stretching her lips.

"Honestly, I'm kind of jealous. You lasted _much_ longer than I did." Sakura sent her a confused look and she continued. "They all figured out my gender the first day." She paused, a finger at her chin. "Well, everyone except Tamaki-senpai. He didn't figure it out until he walked in on me changing." She grinned at the pinkette here, "But his reaction wasn't _nearly_as entertaining as Hikaru's was to walking in on you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled widely at the addition of the honorific and the sound of the incredibly familiar name. Only her closest of friends and family called her _Sakura-chan_. Maybe this meant that her and Haruhi's friendship was steadily growing?

After a moment of comfortable silence, Sakura stood, holding her hand out to the brunette. "Well Haruhi-chan," she began, returning the friendly gesture by adding the honorific, "I suppose it's about time I got out there and explained myself." Haruhi accepted the offer and the rosette pulled her to her feet. The two stepped out of the room, unaware that the four boys had scrambled back to the couches only moments before.

Sakura sat down, mildly surprised (but inwardly pleased) when Haruhi took a place beside her. They all seemed to be watching her and she sighed, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"So, I guess I've been found out." She said, face twisting almost unnoticeably. She watched their faces, shocked when she didn't find any still-lingering surprise in Kyouya, Honey, and Mori's faces like she'd expected.

Kyouya looked up from his book, a sly smirk at his lips as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Actually, Haruno-san, I've known for quite some time." Sakura blanched, eyes widening minutely. He raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "You didn't honestly expect me to not do a little research on you, did you? I couldn't allow just some random student to join the Host Club, no matter Tamaki's unorthodox decisions."

He paused, smirk returning. "It took quite a bit of searching but I finally managed to find you. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that the information in your school file wasn't all true." If it was even possible, Kyouya suddenly looked even more sinister.

"Lying to the school board and giving faulty information, tut, tut. I do believe we'll have to lengthen your punishment, Haruno-san." Sakura's heart nearly stopped at the look on his face. It was just _that scary._

"How about indefinitely? It would be a shame if this scandal got out to the school administers."

Everyone was giving Kyouya looks of shock and horror, each of varying degrees. Sakura groaned, he was _blackmailing_her again. She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Fine, I guess this means that not only am I now a permanent member of the Host Club (at least until you bestow your pity upon me) but I'm also in your debt." She sent him a questioning raised eyebrow. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

Kyouya grinned, a frightening sight.

"Indeed not, Haruno-san."

Sakura nodded to herself before jumping in surprise when Honey suddenly hopped into the seat next to her.

"I knew since the first day, Saki-chan! And I told Takashi of my suspicions when everyone was distracted yesterday!" The small blonde announced, grinning at her.

Sakura blinked in surprise, glancing up at Mori for confirmation. He simple nodded and Sakura almost collapsed in on herself. "Y-you knew Honey-senpai? How?"

He sent her a somewhat curious-looking grin.

"Why do you think I kept jumping onto your back and hugging you Saki-chan?"

Her eye twitched at his cryptic response and a million different answers and possibilities flew through her mind. She groaned again, running her hand through her hair.

"Well, what's done is done. I guess I'll be leaving now?" She asked, wanting nothing more than to bury herself under her covers and sleep the stress of the day away.

"Ah, ah!" Tamaki exclaimed, speaking at last. "We are still going to have our celebration!"

Sakura's shoulders slumped.

"Celebration?"

"Indeed! To celebrate having both Haruhi and Hikaru back and welcome you to our family," Tamaki paused, obviously trying to figure out what he should call her. He grinned, choosing the ever simple "Sakura."

She felt the corners of her lips tilt up in a small smile. _'Welcome? Family? There's more to the Host Club than I thought.'_

Tamaki spun away, gesturing for everyone to follow. As they all did so, Sakura glanced over and caught Hikaru's eye, motioning for him to stop. He sent her a wary look but stopped, arms crossed as she approached him. Kaoru took his place at his brother's side and watched Sakura with distrust.

Her gaze dropped to the ground as she rubbed her arm absentmindedly.

"You weren't here to hear my apology when these guys first dragged me here and I doubt Kaoru-san replayed what I said back to you, so I'll just say it again." Sakura began, face twisting with a mixture of emotions. "I really am sorry for punching you that day. Seriously. I was in a bad enough mood as it was and you kind of egged me on. I," she paused but continued, admitting something she didn't like to confess to other people no matter how obvious it was, "I don't have that good of a reign on my temper and I can go off the wall sometimes. I try to control my anger as best as I can but sometimes I let it slip." She looked up, not bothering to try and read the expressions on his face.

"Sensei taught me that taking my anger out on someone, both physically and verbally, is never the answer and I try not to. But, like I said, I'm not all that great at controlling my temper." She managed a weak smile. This confession was _killing _her. "I really am incredibly sorry that I took it out on you Hikaru-san. And earlier, I kind of overreacted when you walked in on me."

She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Thank Kami I didn't hit you with that shoe." She glanced over at the far wall and eyeing the dent.

"So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I," she paused unsurely again before holding out her hand, head tilting to the side as her eyes closed and that somewhat sad smile appeared, "I hope you can forgive me and we can be friends, Hikaru-san."

To say Hikaru was shocked was an understatement. He was downright _freaking stunned._ He'd expected her to punch his head off, not _apologize_. And now she was saying she wanted to be _friends_? He'd been the one to piss her off and mess with her and here she was, _saying she was sorry_.

This girl was teeming with surprises.

Hikaru felt himself smile as his hand rose to grasp her own, giving her hand a firm shake.

"I should really be the one apologizing Pin – Sakura-san. But let's just put everything behind us?" She blinked and grinned up at him as he continued, a smirk forming on his face. "I'm sure this is the start of an _entertaining _friendship." Sakura couldn't help but return the smirk, giving his hand a shake as well.

Suddenly, she turned to Kaoru, holding her hand out to him as well.

"We didn't really get off to such a great start either, huh Kaoru-san? I'm hoping we can be friends as well?"

Kaoru seemed surprised as well but then grinned, accepting her offer.

"If Hikaru's forgiven you, there's no reason for me not to." His grin widened, "I look forward to pranking you mercilessly."

Sakura's smirk grew.

"I've had my fair share of pranksters; don't expect me to be a big pushover once you two get started. I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

The twins sent her sly looks but before they could say anything, Sakura was suddenly enveloped in a monstrous hug from Tamaki as he spun her around.

"So cute! Just like Haruhi! You and she are going to be the best of sisters, my daughter! I'm sure of it!"

Sakura blinked from the confines of Tamaki's arms. _'Sisters? _Daughter_? Looks like he was being literal when he said _family_.'_

As she was broken from her inner musings, the rosette was suddenly aware that it was getting harder and harder to breath.

"Tamaki-senpai! Put her down! You're smothering her!"

The blonde squeaked at Haruhi's accusation and immediately released Sakura, apologizing to his new 'daughter' profusely. She stumbled back a few steps, mind reeling as she gasped for air. After a few moments, she managed a weak smile and attempted to calm down the tearful Tamaki. Once he was thoroughly convinced that he hadn't killed or harmed her, they all set out again.

Sakura honestly wasn't very surprised when Honey latched onto her back. She did, however, send him a questioning look but, as he simply grinned and snuggled closer to her, she merely shrugged and reached back to hook her arms around his knees to keep him steady.

The group exited the school and Tamaki ushered them into a waiting limo. Sakura raised an eyebrow at the vehicle, bending down slightly to let Honey slip off her back, but climbed in nonetheless. The inside was understandably roomy, but with eight teens space was limited.

Squished, albeit comfortably, between Kyouya and Mori, Sakura suddenly straightened as she realized that she had no idea where they were going. The limo pulled away from the school and sped down the road.

"Um, Tamaki-senpai? Where exactly are we going for this 'celebration'?"

"To the commoner's shopping district of course! For a wonderful outing with so many intriguing and cute stores! Have you ever had commoner's instant coffee Sakura? It's delightful!"

After glancing at Haruhi's exasperated expression, Sakura realized that Tamaki was perfectly serious.

'_Commoner's shopping district? The mall?'_

Uh, wait, what?

**::**

_Ooh!  
>Working you overtime<br>I'm getting you over the line_

**::**

Sakura sat down in one of the food courts chairs, a deliciously greasy hamburger in one hand and a strawberry malt in the other. She moaned as her taste buds exploded in pure pleasure and blatantly ignored the slightly disturbed look Kyouya sent her. Haruhi chuckled and sipped her soda, glancing at the shops nearby and mentally figuring which were having sales.

The pinkette set her malt down (swatting Honey's hand away when his fingers inched closer) and loosened her scarf. After learning that Tamaki was going to drag them to the mall, she'd demanded that they swing by her home to allow her to change into more publicly acceptable clothes. It was Saturday and she'd rather not get stared at for wearing a school uniform.

She'd given the chauffer directions and had instantly denied any of the curious Host's access into her home when they realized she didn't, in fact, live in a mansion. Her cozy two-story house had sat innocently between another house and an apartment complex, welcoming her back with open arms. She'd felt their stares as she quickly unlocked her door and hurried inside (locking the door again for good measure) and hurried to her room.

She changed out of her uniform and into simple forest-green T under a grey pinstriped vest (which she noticed looked much like the one from her animal tamer outfit) and comfy jeans. After a moment's thought, she slipped into a pair of black ballet flats and tucked the boots under her arm. She switched coats, a dark green jacket that matched her shirt, but kept her scarf (a shimmery white which she just adored). She'd ran a comb through her surprisingly unruly locks and raced back downstairs.

Grabbing her wallet, her beanie, and slipping her phone back into her pants pocket, Sakura exited her house in record time, locking the door behind her. She jogged back to the limo, inwardly pleased that none of the seven had attempted to follow her into her house.

They were obviously interested in what it looked like inside but she'd rather not give any tours anytime soon. But she was aware that, now that they knew where she lived, they'd be stopping by (most likely unannounced) in the near future.

It had been about then that the other seven (excluding Haruhi who had arrived at the school in normal, somewhat androgynous, clothing since the girls would still be having their Hosting time) had decided they wanted to change out of their school uniforms as well. So, Sakura learned what the boys' houses (fucking mansions) looked like and where they resided and had simply raised an eyebrow at their model-worthy clothing.

The ride to the mall hadn't taken much more time and, although Tamaki had wanted to head straight for a few of the stores, they'd journeyed to the food court at the beckoning of a few empty stomachs. Everyone had separated then, choosing different kiosks for food.

Apparently, she and Haruhi had similar tastes and had both headed for the small burger-joint. It had been then that Sakura told Haruhi that, while she was wealthy enough, she much preferred living more modestly and, ever since she'd moved to the city of Ouran, she'd grown attached to the mall. Haruhi had been surprised, to say the least, and the two had chatted about their favorite stores as they moved ahead in the small line.

After ordering and obtaining their food the two girls had headed to the innermost part of the food court, searching for a free table or two. Sakura had glanced around, mildly amused when she noticed that the six boys were drawing quite a bit of attention.

Tamaki had been 'entertaining' the attendant at a pizza booth and had apparently yet to order. While the customers behind him were getting antsy, most of the female patrons were too awed to do much.

A surplus of squeals had come from the direction of the sweets stand (which specialized in enormous cookies) and Sakura had managed to spy Mori and Honey amongst the crow, the latter perched upon the former's shoulders.

Kyouya, Hikaru, and Kaoru had gone to the generic Chinese-food kiosk and, while the twins were broadcasting one of their episodes of _Brotherly Love_ (which Sakura wasn't too used to and had almost had to double-take as the older of the two brought his brother's face impossibly close to his own), the dark-haired boy had stepped ahead of the occupied twins. Many young ladies had been squealing but a few more reserved girls merely watched with faint blushes as Kyouya simply ordered his food and turned, spying both Sakura and Haruhi.

Not wasting any time he'd made his way towards the two, face deceptively impassive. They'd pushed two tables together and enjoyed their meals, waiting for the others to migrate towards them.

Sakura took another bite from her burger, eyes closing in bliss. Kami, she was _hungry_. Kyouya twirled his spicy noodles around his fork and sent her another slightly uneasy look.

"Those things are unhealthy." he informed her blankly. Sakura simply took a sip from her malt and bit into her burger once more.

"All the best things are."

He snorted at her answer from his spot at one end of the two tables. Sakura sat adjacent to him on the left, Honey next to her, and Mori next to him. Across from Sakura sat Haruhi who was enjoying her soda (she'd eaten before she'd left her house) with Hikaru next to her, followed by Kaoru, and Tamaki at the end opposite Kyouya.

Tamaki was most upset with the arrangement. Mother was hogging his daughters.

Their group filled the two tables and had attracted quite a bit of attention. The rosette was pleased to say that all the stares and glances weren't merely caused by her hair (which was hidden under her beanie, for the most part), rather by the six incredibly handsome and cute boys.

"Saki-chan! Do you want a bite of my cookie?" Honey asked innocently, holding up the cookie which was nearly larger than his head.

Muffled squeals were heard in the distance and Honey grinned, swinging his legs childishly.

Sakura smiled in thanks but declined, too immersed in her burger to enjoy anything sweet at the moment. The blonde had chirped a happy "Okay!" and munched on his cookie once more. Mori stared ahead coolly, apparently enjoying his ice cream.

The twins had ordered the spiciest thing at the Chinese booth and were challenging one another to see who could go the longest without drinking anything.

Tamaki was entranced with his pizza and the strings of pure white cheese that stretched impossibly far. It was just that _cheesy_.

The pinkette idly sipped her malt, decidedly comfortable with these strange new friends of hers.

"So, where are we going to first?"

And then, the calmness broke.

And all hell was released

Everyone wanted to visit different places, from bookstores (Haruhi, Kyouya, and Sakura) to candy shops (Honey and Mori) to novelty toy stores (Hikaru and Kaoru) to the pet shop and/or music store (Tamaki). It was a mad rush of saying where they should go first, which store was most important, and "Dammit, it sounds _fun_!"

"Why don't we just split up and all meet back here in say, half an hour?" Haruhi supplied, rolling her soda cup between her palms. Tamaki seemed to contemplate this and nodded slowly, holding a finger into the air.

"Alright! We all head to wherever we want to go and meet up here in the food court in half an hour! Agreed?"

Everyone nodded, muttering okays and alrights.

Tamaki held his hand out in the middle of the table, an excitedly determined look on his face. Honey cheered and held his hand out over Tamaki's, Mori following soon after. After a moment the twins did the same, obviously playing their own inside-joke.

The blonde waited for Haruhi, Sakura, and Kyouya to add their hands but, when they appeared to want no part in it, he simple stared ahead, expression still determined as he smiled.

"And, BREAK!"

The five threw their hands into the air and repeated Tamaki's word (with the exception of Mori who remained silent, as usual).

"BREAK!"

They raced off in different directions, leaving the three still seated at the table.

Sakura raised a slender pink eyebrow at Haruhi who simply shrugged, twirling her straw around in the few remaining ice cubes. Kyouya took another bite of his noodles and took a gulp from his bottle of water.

The pinkette shrugged to herself and finished off her burger, savoring every bite.

Once they were done, they headed to the directory to locate the bookstore in a comfortable silence. Sakura kept the remainder of her malt with her, taking a sip every now and then, as their eyes scanned the map of the mall.

"It's on the third floor." Haruhi murmured before glancing around. "There's the elevator, unless you two would rather take the stairs?"

"Nah," Sakura answered, waving her hand offhandedly. "And the escalators are on the other side of the food court."

Kyouya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, fully content with remaining silent as the girls talked. They leisurely made their way towards the elevator. It wasn't one of those fancy glass ones that gave the occupants a view of the shoppers but a simple elevator in the wall.

Haruhi paused, eyes traveling over to one of the stores nearby. She bit her lip but ultimately made her decision.

"You two go on ahead, I'll meet you there in a few minutes." She said. Sakura nodded and bid her farewell, continuing towards the elevator with Kyouya close behind.

His silence was beginning to get to her and she couldn't wait to get to the bookstore and immerse herself in the printed words, mind forgetting everything but what she was reading. Finger pressing against the 'up' button, she waited patiently, sending a curious eye at Kyouya when he leaned against the wall. He ignored her and waited for the lift to arrive.

There was a _ding_ and a three older woman stepped out, smiling and bidding Sakura a good afternoon. The pinkette grinned back and waved, stepping into the vacant elevator. Kyouya followed in after her and clicked the button for the third floor, reaching over her shoulder. He retreated to the far wall, leaning against it leisurely. Sakura fiddled with her scarf, steadying herself as the small box of a room jolted upwards before moving at a slower pace.

She turned to the dark-haired boy, about to say something, when the elevator suddenly stopped, rocking the two occupants, and the lights flickered once, twice, and went out. Sakura landed against Kyouya and he quickly righted her (she was inwardly surprised at this and filed it away for further investigation).

The red emergency light came to life and illuminated the inside of the elevator, a beep sounding before everything went quiet.

But only for a moment.

Sakura stared ahead of her, expression unbelieving.

"Oh, _hell_ no."

The elevator had shut off

They were stuck.

**::**

_I'm climbing your ladder and making you better  
>'Cause it's what you need<em>

**::**

**notes: **Speedy update, right? Yup.

Good chapter? I hope so...

I'd been having trouble how Sakura would be found out. It could have gone one of three ways: Haruhi figuring it out and confronting her much like Sakura had done, someone walking in on her (Hikaru, which I went with because it sounded the most fun but was so cliché), or Sakura stumbling upon Haruhi being 'attacked' by the Lobelia girls and Benio realizing she's a girl and announcing it with Haruhi in earshot. (Which will happen, eventually. I freakin' love Benio).

I enjoyed writing this chapter though. And the ending was something I've been looking forward to. Some KyouSaku-bonding for all you fangirls ahead!

By the way, I'm leaving out a lot of canon stuff. Personally, I never got far in the manga (finished the anime, three times over) and even though I _know_ a lot of stuff happened during Haruhi's second year with the Host Club, I'll be leaving it out in favor of making up new scenarios and stuff with Sakura. As for how the manga ended and what happened afterwards, yes I know about that but I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to it. Once the story is over I might write a little epilogue of sorts that ties in with the canon ending.

Also, I did a little research on Japanese school years. While most first terms (there are usually three) begin in April, I've bumped Ouran Academy back a month (for story-sake). So, it should be about early March (9?) where we are now. If you guys know your facts, you can guess what will be coming up eventually ;D

What'll happen next? Will Sakura be able to survive trapped in a small enclosed space with the notorious Shadow King? Will anyone realize they're missing? Will they ever get out? WILL SAKURA HAVE ANOTHER FIT AND PUNCH A HOLE IN THE WALL?

All in the next chapter! Which might be bit of a wait since I really need to work on _**Sugar Cube**_.

Tell me what you think! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter!

Remember...

Reviews = Love = Happiness = Inspiration = Faster Updates = More Smiles

Create some smiles people

**::Thirrin73::**


	5. Of Reminiscing and Breaking the Ice

**notes:** And here's the much anticipated fifth chapter of _**Just a Little Bit**_! Sorry for leaving you guys without an update for so long, but here we are at last!

We've got some _Naruto _characters mentioned in this chapter and a little look into Sakura's past. And some KyouSaku fluff for all you fangirls out there ;D

This chapter is dedicated to my lovely _Hope_ for our awesome conversation which left me with such great muse and new ideas and for writing _**Before the Nightmare**_, a SaiSaku oneshot that's kind of a prologue to _**Gorgeous Nightmare**_. I suggest you guys check it out and leave _Hope_ a whole bunch of love!

Also, **IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT** in the ending AN! Be sure to check it out once you finish the chapter!

Enjoy!

See you at the bottom.

**::**

_**Just a Little Bit...**_

_**Of Reminiscing and Breaking the Ice**_

**::**

_You've got pressure dripping off your shoulders_

**::**

The red light blinked a few times before going out, a dim white light shining in its stead. It wasn't exceptionally bright but managed to light up the inside of the elevator well enough.

A look of horror seemed to be permanently painted onto Sakura's face.

"No. _No__**.**_Nonononononono." Sakura said as she dropped her cup and threw herself against the doors of the elevator, trying to pry the metal apart. She swallowed her screech of rage as she pounded her fists on the doors and quickly began to _freak the fuck out._

"Oh, come _on_!" she exclaimed as she clawed at where the doors met, inwardly begging them to open. She glanced over her shoulder at the disturbingly stoic Kyouya and groaned in frustration.

"Anyone, _anyone_, but him! He's worse than _Sasuke_!" she cried before her voice dropped to a whisper as she gave the doors a reproachful and pleading look, trying to persuade the elevator to free her. "_I think he's out to get me_."

At the derisive hum from behind her, Sakura slowly looked back over her shoulder at the boy, eyes widening comically as she half expected him to pull out a gun and shoot her. Kyouya pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and eyed her with a frown.

"If you are already reacting as such, there is no hope of us calmly figuring this out and escaping." He announced, words nearly taking a physical form and viciously stabbing her.

Sakura glared before pouting and finally sighing as she slid into a sitting position. She was overreacting; he couldn't hate her _that_ much.

"Believe it or not, but this isn't the first time I've been stuck in an elevator." The pinkette said offhandedly. Kyouya sat as well and watched her curiously.

"Oh?"

She nodded and thought back, smiling wryly. "Yeah. Only, I at least had Naruto to keep me from going crazy." She eyed him and pursed her lips. "You aren't _nearly_ as entertaining as that idiot. Hell, even _Sai_ always has some sort of thing on hand to pass the time." She groaned and let her head fall back against the doors. Kyouya frowned at the unfamiliar names and filed them away for further investigation.

"Give me your cellphone." Kyouya demanded suddenly after a few moments of silence. Sakura raised an eyebrow at him and her face twisted in confusion.

"What, why?"

He regarded her coolly, rolling his eyes a miniscule amount.

"To call the mall security or somebody so that _someone_ knows we're stuck here." He deadpanned.

The rosette blinked, "Oh. Um, sure." and reached into her pocket to pull her phone out, quickly handing it over to him. She frowned as she watched him quickly dial a number.

"What's wrong with your cell?"

"I accidentally left it in the limo when Tamaki was hurrying us along and only noticed so now." He replied, holding her phone up to his ear with a scowl.

She nodded to herself and soon lost interest in the boy. Sakura leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, tuning Kyouya's conversation out; only vaguely aware of him making another call once he was done with the first. After a few minutes, her attention snapped back to him at the sound of his annoyed grunt. She cracked an eye open and gazed at the disgruntled boy.

"That's the third time. The idiot isn't picking up." He muttered, eye slightly twitching. She sat up and regarded him fully, pulling her beanie off her head.

"And by 'idiot' you mean...?"

"Tamaki. I thought it would be best to let him and the others know where we are. But the buffoon isn't answering."

Sakura took off her scarf and coat, nodding to herself. "You probably have the other Host's numbers memorized; just call one of them to gather everyone together."

Kyouya rolled his eyes and she snorted in annoyance.

"That was the plan."

He was about to make another call when Sakura's phone suddenly started vibrating and the sound of Beethoven's 5th filled the elevator. Kyouya raised an eyebrow at her choice of ringtone and Sakura felt her face heat up. She reached out for her phone but he blatantly ignored her and answered the call, holding the phone to his ear coolly.

"Haruno Sakura's phone, Ootori Kyouya speaking."

The elevator was silent for a few moments as Sakura watched him with idle annoyance and Kyouya waited for the person on the other line to speak. He raised an eyebrow at their silence and almost hung up when a deafeningly loud and furious voice erupted from the receiver and left his ears ringing.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND WHAT THE _HELL_ HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY NIECE?"

Kyouya jumped and held the phone away from his ear. Sakura's eyes nearly bugged out in surprise and she scrambled to his side as fast as she could.

"Auntie?" she squealed, fumbling with the phone. The person on the other line was silent for a moment before she began screeching again.

"SAKURA? OH KAMI, SAKURA! I HEARD YOU! DON'T WORRY; I'M COMING TO GET YOU!" Her yells became muffled suddenly as she undoubtedly turned away from her phone on her end to shout over her shoulder. "SHIZUNE. GET MY TASER!"

Kyouya eyed Sakura in slight amusement as she blanched and attempted to choke out her words.

"Tsunade! I'm fine, really!"

"Sakura?" Came her concerned reply. "You're okay?"

"Yes, yes. I'm perfectly fine."

"Who was that who answered your phone then?" Tsunade's voice took on a more stern tone and Sakura groaned, turning away from the bemused Kyouya.

"That was just one of my senpais from school. We're both stuck in an elevator at the mall. He was using my phone to make a few calls." she explained calmly, rubbing the back of her neck.

A pause.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING AT THE MALL WITH A _BOY_? YOU ARE BY NO MEANS OLD ENOUGH TO DATE."

Sakura jumped in surprise, face twisting with horror, and Kyouya cringed at the loud yell, face going pale.

"HERE I AM, WORRYING MY ASS OVER YOU; CALLING YOU, OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART, TO LET YOU KNOW THOSE KIDS MISSED YOU YESTERDAY, AND YOU'RE SHIRKING YOUR SCHOLARLY RESPONSIBILITIES WITH SOME _BOY_ FROM SCHOOL! I BET YOU HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ALL YOUR HOMEWORK! Some _niece of_ _mine_ you've turned out to be."

The pinkette's face burned and her jaw dropped as she fumbled for an answer. Meanwhile, Kyouya was nodding knowingly.

So _that's_ where she got her short temper.

"Tsunade! I-"

"Don't you 'Tsunade' me, young lady! You're lucky I've got patients that need me right now and I currently don't have time for this shit! But you can be sure as _hell_ I'll be calling Kakashi. _He_ can kick your ass into gear. I expect a full explanation as soon as possible!"

Sakura groaned and tried to console her aunt, massaging her forehead as she ignored Kyouya's amused smirk. "Auntie! You're blowing this _way_ out of proportion! You're _seriously_ overreacting."

"Ha! I'll show _you_ overreacting, Sakura!"

Confused by the vague threat, Sakura raised an eyebrow and waited for Tsunade to speak. Suddenly, the sound of a mad cackle filled the elevator.

"Guess who's signed up to play 'make-overs' all next Saturday afternoon with the kids!"

"Wha-? Tsunade!"

"Bye Sakura-chan, enjoy your weekend!"

"Wai-!"

But the line went dead and Tsunade's wicked laugh was cut off before Sakura could confront her aunt. She groaned and buried her head in her hands. She blatantly ignored Kyouya for the next few minutes, forgetting that he had wanted to call the other hosts. He seemed to have forgotten as well and was currently contemplating the conversation he had overheard.

When Sakura's phone started ringing again, she gave a moan of frustration and held it to her ear, not bothering to check the caller I.D. since she had a pretty good guess who was calling her.

"Hello?"

It was just quiet enough in the elevator for Kyouya to hear the somewhat tired voice speak on the other end and he listened carefully, trying to appear as if he _wasn't_ eavesdropping.

"Sakura-chan? Do you have any idea why Tsunade just called me screaming, and I quote, _'She's doing stupid shit again, Kakashi! Go Responsible Adult on her ass and make her be my adorable, innocent niece again! I can't handle this teenager-crap!'_? She sounded like she was about ready to demolish a building again. And what's this about you being at the mall with a boyfriend?" Came the other person's voice. He'd sighed occasionally as he spoke but took on a suspicious tone with the last words.

"Sensei! I tried to explain to her what was going on but she just _wouldn't_ _listen_. There's no _boyfriend_, just a friend from school; we're both stuck in an elevator between floors and he happened to be using my phone when she called." Sakura explained, rubbing her forehead.

"_What?_ Have you called mall security yet? How long have you been in there?"

"Yeah, yeah. Only about ten minutes I think. It's all good; they should be coming to get us out soon."

"Actually," Kyouya interjected suddenly, "I don't know the number for this mall's security. So, I called the Ootori Secret Police, but it could take them an hour or two to get to us."

Sakura sighed and leaned back against the wall, "Never mind, it sounds like we'll be in here for a while."

Kakashi hummed to himself and Sakura waited for him to speak.

"Well, it sounds like you're fine and have everything figured out for now. Call me back later after you've gotten out; I want a _full explanation_."

"Geeze, thanks for the concern Sensei." Sakura murmured, snorting to herself. "How about you come over tomorrow, around noon, and I tell you all about my _marvelous_ first week of school and everything that's been going on?"

"Ah, sounds good. I'll be expecting lunch, preferably something salty."

"Sensei!"

"If you get too pissed off, punch a hole in the wall, but cover your fist with something so you don't get it all cut up like last time. Or just recite the poem to yourself."

"Yeah, yeah."

"See you tomorrow, have fun with your boyfriend, Sakura-chan, but not _too much_ fun."

"_Sensei!_" Sakura's shriek of embarrassment put a smirk on Kyouya's face and she made sure not to make eye-contact as her face burned. Kakashi's chuckle was cut short as the call ended and she groaned.

"Man, why are all the adults I know so embarrassing and _weird_?"

**::**

_Let me be the one to relieve it._

**::**

When Kyouya suddenly stood and started walking around the elevator, eyes pinned to the ceiling, Sakura could only watch with a raised eyebrow, pulling herself farther into the corner to keep out of his way. The silence hung heavily in the air until he stopped below what looked like a vent, face thoughtful and classes glinting. Sakura crossed her arms and watched him, inwardly guessing what he was thinking.

"That's a really bad idea." she said simply, leaning back against the wall. Kyouya glanced over at her but quickly returned his attention to the vent, mentally figuring how high up it was.

"It's obvious that no one will be here for a while, so I might as well try and get us out of here myself." he answered, testing out the strength of the metal railing that circled the inside of the elevator.

She scoffed and fiddled with her scarf, "Trying to climb up there is a really _stupid_ idea. The railing won't give you a proper foot hold; you'll just fall and hurt yourself." When he seemed to ignore her, she merely rolled her eyes and continued. "I should know. Sasuke tried the same thing and was unconscious until they finally got us out."

Kyouya sent her an annoyed look and began to climb onto the railing, feet on either side of the inner corner as he tested his balance. "I'm _not_ going to _fall_."

She snorted and waved offhandedly.

"That's what Sasuke said."

He rolled his eyes and braced his hands against the ceiling, inching forward to the vent. He pushed against the metal to see if it would move and adjusted his feet to get closer. Sakura watched, inwardly calculating if the inevitable fall would split his head open or not.

As Kyouya tried to pry the metal grate off, his foot moved a tiny bit and lost its grip against the slick metal of the railing. His leg flew out from under him and he lost his balance. He tried to brace himself with the ceiling but only managed to twist himself around and hit his head against the railing as he fell to the floor, the impact of his body shaking the elevator. Just before he hit his head, as he was falling, he managed a surprised, "Shit!"

Sakura sent the unconscious Kyouya a knowing look and sighed.

"Sasuke said that, too, when he fell."

She waited a few moments to see if he would come to, but, when he didn't stir, she stood and walked over to him, kneeling down to check him over. He was out cold, but, luckily, he hadn't broken anything. She sighed once more to herself and rolled Kyouya over onto his back, moving him into a more comfortable position. She removed his crooked glasses and frowned at the cut they'd left, just above his right eyebrow.

"Damn, that might scar. I think I have a Band-Aid somewhere, though." she murmured as she searched her pockets. She "Aha!"-ed in victory when she found the spare bandage and quickly put it on his cut, grinning cheekily to herself.

"Hope you don't mind Hello Kitty, Kyouya-senpai~" she snickered under her breath. The rosette sat back slightly to observe her handiwork and her head tilted to the side slightly as she frowned. _'He looks so different without his glasses...'_

After a moment's thought, she grabbed her scarf and coat and rolled them up together, putting the bundle under his head as a cushion.

"Well, Ootori-san." she mused in a mock-professional voice, "It's my pleasure to inform you that you're going to live and will probably wake up in a few minutes, but," here her grin returned, "You're going to have a really nasty bruise on your forehead and an awful headache."

Sure enough, the beginning of a bruise was starting to bloom. She debated poking it to see if he'd react but her phone suddenly started ringing again. She frowned because she didn't recognize the number, but answered nonetheless. The person on the other line spoke before she could say anything.

"Hello? Hello? Who is this? How did you get this number?"

Sakura paused as she quickly put a name to the familiar voice and remembered that Kyouya had called Tamaki earlier. "Tamaki-senpai? It's Sakura." She was about to tell him about their current predicament but he quickly interrupted her, his happy voice ringing in her ear.

"Oh, Sakura! It was your phone that called me? Hm, I'll have to add your number to my contacts. Oh, oh! Where are you? Are you enjoying your marvelous day out? Are Haruhi and Mother with you?"

"Um, well, you see, the thing is, we're kind of stuck in an elevator between floors and can't get out. Haruhi-chan wasn't with us, luckily, and is probably somewhere in the mall."

A pause.

"MY POOR DAUGHTER! ARE YOU ALRIGHT? ARE YOU INJURED? IS MOTHER THERE WITH YOU? OH KAMI, OH KAMI. ARE YOU OKAY?"

"Calm down, calm down, Tamaki-senpai. I'm fine." She said before muttering, "Honestly, you're worst than Tsunade." off to the side.

"Y-you're alright?"

"Yes."

"Not scared or feeling claustrophobic?"

"No, no. I'm okay."

"Good, good. And Mother?"

"He's here with me."

"Excellent. Put Kyouya on so I can yell at him for putting my poor daughter in such an undesirable situation."

She sighed and glanced over at the unconscious Kyouya. "Um, the thing is, Kyouya-senpai is unavailable at the moment."

"Nonsense!" Tamaki replied, "He can put aside whatever he is doing and talk to me. This is _much_ more important."

Sakura sighed and poked Kyouya's unmoving shoulder. "He can't, Tamaki-senpai. He hit his head trying to get out. He's out cold right now."

Another pause.

"GODDAMMIT, MOTHER. HOW COULD YOU LEAVE OUR DAUGHTER SO ALONE AT SUCH A TIME? Sakura! Put the phone next to his ear! I'll wake him up!"

"Tamaki-senpai!" she screeched in frustration, "Really! Just go find security and get us out of here!"

"Yes, yes. Right away." Came Tamaki's voice, "I'll go find Haruhi and get help. Hold on my darling daughter, Daddy's coming!" The line went dead and Sakura groaned as she realized she hadn't told him _where_ in the mall they were. She was about to call him back when her phone beeped and died, sending her a regretful flash of red light before it turned off.

Sakura stared down at it in disbelief.

"Oh, _come on_!" she said, voice taking on a slight whining tone. She pressed random buttons, tried everything she could think of, but her phone didn't respond. The rosette groaned and sat back, slipping her cellphone back into her pocket. Her gaze traveled to the ceiling and she sighed in boredom. "What would Naruto do?" she mumbled to herself.

She made a face at the thought and snorted. "_Naruto_ tried to use Sasuke's unconscious body as a boost to get to the vent in _that_ elevator and he only succeeded in hurting them _both_." She rested her chin in her hand and frowned, glancing over at Kyouya before shaking her head to dispel the thought.

"What would Sai do?" she asked herself next. "Sai brought out a whole bunch of sharpies and we all drew on Sasuke to curve our boredom." She grinned at the memory and sat back, thinking of what her other friends might have done if they'd been stuck in an elevator.

"What would Ino-Pig do? Well, she wouldn't have been in an elevator in the first place. _"C'mon Forehead, let's take the stairs! Elevators are for lazy people; we need to burn some calories!"_" she mocked with a grin, crossing her legs as she continued.

"What would Kiba do? He'd howl and bark and make other animal noises to get someone's attention. What would Shino do?" she paused, face twisting into a frown. "Actually, I don't know what Shino would do. Sit quietly and wait for rescue?" Sakura shrugged and went on.

"What would Chouji do? Heh, he wouldn't share his snacks, that's for sure. What would Shikamaru do? Damn lazy genius would come up with a elaborately brilliant escape plan but wouldn't tell anyone or try to accomplish anything because it would be, _"Too troublesome."_" She sighed and closed her eyes, mumbling under her breath.

"What would Hinata-chan do? Poor thing would be hyperventilating in a corner. What would Tenten-chan do? Meh, Tenten wouldn't really care and would probably just pull out her iPod, blast some catchy tune full volume (which would then be stuck in my head all day), and play with whatever weapon she had on her until rescue came." She chuckled to herself and continued with a smile.

"What would Neji do? Probably take charge and try to escape," she smirked blindly here, "But would try to get out through the vent, fall, and be knocked unconscious like Sasuke." She laughed aloud, now much calmer and in a better mood than before.

"What would Lee do? Well, after a very moving speech about the Power of Youth, he'd jump straight up through the vent like Superman, shimmy up the cables like a squirrel, pry open the doors to the next floor like the Hulk (he's certainly green enough), and go get a rescue party or probably just Gai, all the while yelling _"Yosh!"_" she laughed, "Because Lee is just that awesome."

"You think very hightly of your old friends, don't you?"

Sakura's eyes snapped open and darted to Kyouya, who was apparently conscious now. He groaned as he sat up, hand touching his bruised forehead carefully. Sakura willed down her blush of embarrassment at being caught talking to herself and snorted at him.

"Of course I do; they're my _friends_. And I _told_ you that was a bad idea."

Kyouya sighed and leaned against the wall, massaging his temples to soothe away his headache. He frowned as he thought to himself. That had been very uncharacteristic of him, falling like that. After a moment, he suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing his glasses, but soon found them, folded up next to where he'd been laying.

He noticed Sakura's scarf and jacket bundle and figured she'd moved him around when he'd been unconscious. He reached out for his glasses and the makeshift pillow, glancing up at the pinkette. She seemed to be lost in thought and Kyouya felt himself smirk.

He slipped his crooked glasses into his pocket and tossed the bundle to her, breaking her reverie as it smacked her in the face. She seethed as her gaze darted to him, a glare forming, but he spoke before she could say anything.

"Thanks."

Sakura frowned at him before colling off, sending him a small smile and nod.

"No problem."

She paused, considering something, before speaking again.

"Any chance you'll use that to reduce my debt?"

Kyouya simply smirked and looked away, chuckling under his breath. Sakura sighed and leaned back, absentmindedly separating her scarf and jacket, as her nose twitched in annoyance. It was fortunate that Kyouya looked back at her at this moment and noticed the bright red bead of blood appear just under her nose. He blinked in surprise before catching her attention.

"Haruno-san..." he began unsurely. Sakura looked over at him, eyebrow raised in question.

"Hm?"

"Your nose is bleeding." Kyouya answered bluntly, watching in vague curiosity as her eyes bugged out slightly and her hand darted to her nose. She brought her hand down and sent the blood on her fingers an irritated look. She quickly returned her hand to her face and pinched her nose as she leaned forward, muttering an agitated, "Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap." under her breath.

She fervidly searched her pockets for some sort of tissue to catch the blood, all the while cursing to herself. She stopped, however, to find Kyouya crouching in front of her, a handkerchief held out to her. Sakura sent him a thankful smile and accepted the cloth, dabbing at the blood under her nose.

Kyouya sat down beside her and watched curiously, trying to remember if her file had said anything about frequent nose bleeds or other medical issues.

After a few minutes, her nose seemed to have stopped bleeding and Sakura sat back, sighing halfheartedly. She silently considered Kyouya's ruined handkerchief in her hand before deciding that he probably wouldn't want it back. Her gaze traveled to the ceiling and he frowned to herself.

"Today's the 21st, right?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. Kyouya surprised her, however, and replied.

"April 21st, yes."

She groaned, rubbing her forehead, and let her eyes close.

"How long have we been stuck in here?"

Kyouya glanced over at her and answered.

"Probably about two hours or so."

"Mm."

The next thing Kyouya knew, Sakura was leaning against his shoulder, face calm and mouth parted slightly as she fell asleep. He inwardly panicked at first; she hadn't lost _that_ much blood, had she? But, after a few moments, Kyouya realized that she was just sleeping and was in no danger. So, he left her be, resting on his shoulder.

Kyouya thoughtfully watched the strange, pink-haired girl who he had enjoyed messing with so much over the past few days. His gaze traveled over her face, lingering on her parted lips every so often, and he couldn't help smiling slightly.

She was so much more tolerable when she was calm.

'_But,'_ he thought as he made himself comfortable, _'That short temper of hers is very entertaining.'_

Kyouya wasn't quite sure when it happened, but he soon fell asleep as well, his head tilting to rest atop hers.

**::**

_Let's get unprofessional_

**::**

Both Kyouya and Sakura were jolted awake when the elevator suddenly shook. Their heads popped up, Sakura's just a bit quicker than his, and they knocked their heads together. They both groaned as they nursed their wounded skulls, Kyouya considerably more so than Sakura considering he already had a massive headache. The elevator shook again and they both sent each other questioning looks, gazes traveling to the ceiling as muffled echoes made their way down towards them.

"What the hell?" Sakura murmured as the sounds grew louder. Eventually, they were able to hear the echoes properly and realized that it was the sounds of voices, all speaking in unison.

"Hup, hup, hup, hup, hup."

The elevator shook once more and Kyouya frowned before hearing metal scraping against metal. He quickly grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her aside just as something slammed into the vent above them and the metal cover was sent flying downward. After a moment, Kyouya realized that he was holding Sakura to his chest and quickly released her, ignoring her in favor of rising and watching the dark hole in the ceiling

"Ootori Kyouya-sama?" Came a voice from above. Kyouya stepped forward under the empty vent, crossing his arms as he nodded. The Ootori Secret Police had come at last.

"Ah."

"And Haruno-san?"

Sakura quickly joined Kyouya and peered up into the darkness. "Yeah, that's me."

There was a sigh of relief and someone propelled down into the elevator, entirely dressed in black with a matching helmet on his head, visor pulled down to cover his upper face. The man bowed to both of them before turning to Sakura and holding his hand out to her.

"You first, Haruno-san. We are going to propel up to the third level where a medical team is waiting to check you both over." He said calmly with a small, encouraging smile. Sakura paused, glancing over at Kyouya before stepping back, holding her hands up as she forced a weak grin.

"No, no. I'm fine with going second. I'm perfectly okay. Kyouya-senpai, on the other hand, could possibly have a concussion and should be seen to first." She said, gesturing to the apathetic boy. Kyouya sent a raised eyebrow at her before shaking his head at the man, making his command obvious. The man saw the signal and nodded, holding his hand out to Sakura once more.

"Nonetheless, Haruno-san, my orders are to bring you up first with Ootori-sama right behind." He paused, grinning charmingly at her. "A Suoh Tamaki-san thoroughly requested so."

Sakura frowned, "But Kyouya-"

"Is perfectly fine." Kyouya interjected, "Your nose was bleeding earlier without proper reason to. Go, Haruno-san."

Sakura pursed her lips at him but relented, turning to grab her jacket and scarf before stepping forward to the patient man. He smiled at her and fastened a belt and harness around her, locking her securely to his harness. He reached up and pressed a button on the side of his helmet, gaze traveling upward.

"Birdy 1: secure. Lieutenant Tsurara returning to nest. Over."

Sakura had to hold in her laugh at such a ridiculous code and waited for _Lieutenant Tsurara_ to take them upwards. He much have had received his go-ahead, because, in the next moment, he was wrapping his arm around her waist and they were propelling upwards slowly. They touched down on top of the elevator for a moment and Lieutenant Tsurara said something to the four or so men crowded around the cables suspending the elevator before they were moving up again.

It was much darker in the elevator shaft than in the actual elevator and Sakura quickly became grateful for the Lieutenant's comfortingly strong grip around her. She wrapped her arms around him as well for added insurance and she could practically feel him smile at her in the darkness.

"Almost there, Haruno-san. Talk to me if you feel nervous." He said.

All that came to Sakura's mind was the incredibly cliché, "So, you come here often?"

He laughed good-naturedly at the corny line and Sakura felt herself grin.

"Yes actually. But I prefer to use the stairs."

"Point taken. I'm going to have severe trust issues with elevators for the rest of my life."

"Were you terribly scared? Claustrophobic perhaps?"

"Tch. No way. I was just so _bored_."

He laughed again and Sakura soon noticed a light above them.

"Here we are." Lieutenant Tsurara said as they stopped in the light. Two men (dressed the same as the lieutenant) stood on either side of the opened doors. The men reached out and pulled the two to them, unharnessing Sakura and Lieutenant Tsurara. Once her feet were placed firmly on the ground, Sakura turned to thank her rescuer, but was suddenly pulled backward, a yelp escaping her lips, and found herself surrounded by the host club.

"Oh, Kami! I was so _worried_, Sakura! Never leave Daddy's sight again!"

"Saki-chan! Saki-chan! Are you okay? Takashi and I were _so_ scared when Tama-chan told us you were trapped in a scary elevator!"

"Ah."

"Sakura-chan? Are you alright? You look pale; is that blood under your nose?"

"Hey, Pinky! How on Earth did you survive that long with the Shadow King, _alone_?"

"Isn't it obvious, Hikaru? She didn't! He's gone and stolen her soul; look how dazed she is!"

Between Tamaki's worried fussing, Honey's tears and cries, Mori's monosyllabic yet sincere responses, Haruhi's genuine concern, and Hikaru and Kaoru's jesting (complete with mock-serious worry and petting), Sakura had no idea how to make sense of her situation. Everyone seemed to be hugging and touching her in some way in their close huddle and she was feeling much more claustrophobic than she ever could have in the elevator. She was about to try and console her friends (she was perfectly fine, dammit) when someone coughed to catch their attention. They looked over to see Lieutenant Tsurara, a weak smile at his lips.

"If you will all excuse me, I need to escort Haruno-san to the medical team to have her checked over for any injuries." He said politely, giving a curt bow.

Sakura sighed and pushed to the front of the group, breaking free of the hosts' protective barrier. "I already said that I was fine; there's no need."

The lieutenant smiled apologetically. "Forgive me, but its protocol. And Ootori-sama _had_ mentioned a bloody nose."

At Tamaki's horrified shriek, Sakura found herself being urged forward by the blond. "Go, go! Right this moment!"

"Tamaki-senpai!"

"Now! Go with, er..." Tamaki paused as he realized he didn't know who the man was.

Lieutenant Tsurara though this to be the perfect time to fully introduce himself. So, he removed his helmet and bowed once more.

"Ootori Secret Police officer, Lieutenant Tsurara Haku, at your service Suoh-san."

Had Sakura not been formerly pressed against the man's chest and already heard his voice many times, she might have though she was looking at a woman. Tsurara Haku was pretty – _beautiful_ even, she realized. His warm, chocolate-brown eyes matched his shoulder-length hair which was pulled back in a low ponytail, two clumps of hair clipped on either side of his face.

Haku was about to say something when they all noticed Kyouya stepping out of the elevator shaft, a tall and muscular officer right behind him. Kyouya had appeared to have propelled up on his own and removed his harness as he walked. He seemed to notice their gazes and looked up, regarding them coolly.

"Kyouya!" Tamaki exclaimed, "What's this about Sakura having a bloody nose? What did you _do_?"

"_Nothing_." Kyouya answered as he approached them. "Her nose started bleeding out of nowhere." He turned to her then, "I was actually meaning to ask you about that."

Sakura's face twisted and she looked away, hand absentmindedly playing with her scarf. When it became apparent to Haku that she was uncomfortable and didn't want to answer their questions, he decided to help her out. He stepped forward, gesturing to the man that had followed after Kyouya.

"We really should head over to the medical team, Haruno-san." At Kyouya's blank look, he didn't bother telling him the same, "Zabuza, can you escort Haruno-san while I report in?"

The other man removed his helmet to reveal spikey, black hair and cold brown eyes, before raising an eyebrow at the brunette. Haku sent him a pleading grin, inwardly happy at the sight of Sakura's thankful smile. Zabuza sighed and nodded the pinkette over.

"Sure, sure, kid. This way; follow me."

It was as Sakura disappeared around the corner with Zabuza (Haku leaving as well) that they heard her speak suddenly.

"Hey, do you mind if I stop at a payphone for a moment? I need to make a call. I promised Sensei that I'd call him back..."

The rest of her conversation with Zabuza was lost to them and Tamaki turned to Kyouya.

"Aren't you going to have yourself checked as well, Kyouya? Sakura had said you were unconscious when I called." The blond said, lips pursing.

Kyouya regarded him apathetically, "I'll check in with my normal doctor later."

Tamaki sighed and put a hand to his head dramatically, "Oh, my poor daughter! Trapped with such a cold mother for so long!"

Kyouya blatantly ignored him as the twins snickered. Honey climbed onto Mori's shoulders and Haruhi checked the things she had bought as they waited for Sakura to return.

"I must admit," Tamaki said suddenly, "I much desire to meet this 'Sensei' Sakura is always talking about." The others murmured their agreements and Kyouya smirked to himself.

"Ah, you're just in in luck, father. You're perfect opportunity to meet this mysterious 'Sensei' happens to be tomorrow."

"Hm?"

"What do you mean Kyouya?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Kyouya chuckled at their mixed responses and crossed his arms. "Haruno-san has scheduled a get-together with him tomorrow, noon, at her home."

Tamaki grinned, "Excellent! We'll drop by and introduce ourselves to such an important figure in our dear Sakura's life!"

Haruhi groaned to herself; this could only end badly.

"Mah, Kyou-chan..."

"Yes, Honey-senpai?"

"Why do you have a Hello Kitty band-aid on your forehead?"

"...What?"

"It's so cute!"

**::**

_Don't you know it's gonna feel much better with..._

**::**

**notes: **Well, that's chapter five! It's much longer than I anticipated. And I hope there was enough KyouSaku in there for you guys!

I actually hadn't planned on putting Haku (or Zabuza) in here, much less the way he appeared. It just kind of happened. After he appeared, I kind of wanted to have this scene where he recognized Sakura from something that had to do with Konoha and all this bonding, but I decided to leave it out. Haku might show up again, it all depends on how you guys feel about him being in the story.

Don't worry; any questions you have will probably be answered sometime in the next few chapters.

Speaking of, the next chapter will mostly be what the hosts were doing while Kyouya and Sakura were stuck in the elevator. So, it will probably be a little short but that means I'll hopefully get it out faster.

So, the big mystery of who Sensei is has been solved! A few of you had already guessed or got close to it, but now your worries have been put to rest!

And, here's that **IMPORTANT****ANNOUNCEMENT**. I've decided to start taking OCs for this story that will appear, on and off, throughout most of the fic. Whether it's in the classroom or at the Host Club, they'll be popping up! But, take into consideration that these OCs won't have really important rolls but will be making cameos in chapters; this is something I want to do to let you guys all know that I adore you. I'll only be taking about 10 or so OCs (unless a lot of people _really_ want to submit an OC, then I'll up the quota) and be limiting it to 2 OCs per person. **BUT**, please don't send in your OC's info just yet! _**Send me a PM or review saying that you want to submit an OC and I'll send you an outline of the information I need, this way I can keep everything much more organized! **_

PLEASE, have your PM feature working! And, you need to have an actual account so I can actually send you a PM. However, if a lot of anonymous reviewers who don't have accounts want to submit OCs, I'll most likely post the outline of info I need on my profile; so you'd just have to copy and paste, fill it out, and send it to me in a review.

Try not to make them too Sueish. Keep it simple, y'know?

Also, I've got a new poll on my profile that has to do with the pairings for this story. Be sure to check it out!

Thanks for reading guys, sorry for the wait!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

Reviews = Love = Happiness = Inspiration = Faster Updates = More Smiles

Create some smiles, people.

**::Thirrin73::**


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